The Big West announced the 2022-23 league schedule in which the University of Hawaii men’s basketball team will open on Dec. 29, have periods of four games in eight days, and close the regular season on the road.

UH coach Eran Ganot noted the schedule is a result of proposals among the Big West’s 11 coaches. “You go back and forth, and decisions are made,” Ganot said. “Putting together a conference schedule is not an easy task, especially with certain challenges and circumstances. Once that schedule is announced, we’re excited about it. That’s our mentality. We hope to play in the first of the actual 20-game (league) schedule, and go from there.”

Because of the pandemic, the start of the 2020-2021 season was delayed. The two-game UH-UC San Diego series was canceled in 2021 because of protocols associated with the Tritons. This past season, three of the Rainbow Warriors’ Big West games were canceled.

“The last couple years there’s been a 20-game conference schedule slated, but it hadn’t ended up playing out that way because of the COVID challenges,” Ganot said. “Hopefully this (coming) season will be the year when every game happens.”

UH’s league schedule usually calls for games on Thursday and Saturday nights. There will be two Monday games that are creating congested schedules.

“We get to play,” Ganot said of four games in eight days. “That’s our mentality. It beats the alternative. … The past couple years it hasn’t been balanced. Some teams played more (league) games than others. Some teams had more home games. But the great teams will perform whatever the circumstances.”

Ganot also expressed support for Gibson Johnson, who resigned as UH’s director of player development to accept an assistant coach’s job at Utah Tech (previously known as Dixie State).

“It’s tough to lose him,” Ganot said of Johnson. “He’s family. He’s played here. He’s been a captain here. He’s coached here. He’s worked his way up. He was a (graduate assistant). He was director of development. The next logical step for him was to be on the floor (as a full-time assistant) and be on the road (as a recruiter). What a great young man. What a great family. We’re going to miss him, and we’re going to root for him.”

Thursday, Dec. 29 — UC Davis

Saturday, Dec. 31 — Cal Poly

Thursday, Jan. 5 — At UC San Diego

Saturday, Jan. 7 — At Cal State Fullerton

Saturday, Jan. 14 — Long Beach State

Monday, Jan. 16 — Cal State Northridge

Thursday, Jan. 19 — At UC Irvine

Saturday, Jan. 21 — At UC Riverside

Thursday, Jan. 26 — UC Santa Barbara

Saturday, Jan. 28 — Cal State Bakersfield

Thursday, Feb. 2 — At UC Davis

Saturday, Feb. 4 — At Cal Poly

Thursday, Feb. 9 — UC San Diego

Saturday, Feb. 11 — Cal State Fullerton

Saturday, Feb. 18 — At Long Beach State

Monday, Feb. 20 — At Cal State Bakersfield

Thursday, Feb. 23 — UC Riverside

Saturday, Feb. 25 — UC Irvine

Thursday, March 2 — At Cal State Northridge

Saturday, March 4 — At UC Santa Barbara