Rainbows adjust to Big West’s temporary format

This college basketball season, not all performances follow the same script.

This year, the Big West Conference schedule calls for back-to-back games at the same site instead of the usual home-and-home format. The University of Hawaii experienced the duality of situations with the past weekend’s road split against UC Riverside. There were different lead characters and drama for the first and second games.

The point-and-counter-point approach will be used when the Rainbow Warriors play host to CSU Bakersfield Friday and Saturday in Simplifi Arena.

“It’s a different format of basketball than any of us have ever played,” forward Casdon Jardine said to reporters during a Zoom meeting. “My whole career, I’ve never played weekly back-to-back games against the same team. It was very different (last week). You play the same team, you make adjustments, and you’re right back at the same team again the next day. That’s something that none of us have ever, ever really experienced. That was cool. That was a different feel. You can’t wish it was any way else because that’s the reality of it right now.”

The ’Bows were outrebounded but won the first game, then had the advantage on the boards but lost the following day. Post James Jean-Marie and guard Junior Madut were the scoring leaders in the opener; Jardine and Justin Webster led the way in the second game.

“I feel like more than ever it’s going to be like chess matches from now on,” Jardine said. “That first game you play someone is to get your feelers for that team. And then it’s not the typical six weeks go by and you’re playing them again.

“I’d expect there to be big adjustments like were made in this last series that we had with Riverside going into the future with these other teams.”

The ’Bows have needed additional prep work for Bakersfield, which is in its inaugural Big West season. While an extensive scouting report has been accumulated, the ’Bows are lacking “past years’ experience” against the Roadrunners, according to UH coach Eran Ganot.

Ganot noted the Roadrunners are built on “toughness, and you feel that on the defensive end and on the boards. They’re No. 1 in the country in offensive rebounds. They’ve always been good on the boards. They’re No. 1 in the country in experience in terms of being in their program.”

The Roadrunners also are 7-4 overall and 3-1 in the Big West. The ’Bows, who are 3-1 and 1-1, had a 20-day break between the games against Division II Hawaii Hilo and UC Riverside.

Ganot said the ’Bows have “multiple playmakers,” and the back-to-back format might lead to expanded playing rotation. “That’s the beauty of our team that we have different guys who can make things happen for us on the offensive end,” Ganot said.

Ganot added: “All games in league are a little bit of a chess match, and you don’t want to out-smart yourselves. Simplicity is important. Firing fresh for the games is important.”