The Hawaii basketball team is laced up for the home stretch in the Big West race.

With four regular-season games to go, the ’Bows and UC Santa Barbara are tied for third at 11-5 in league play behind UC Irvine (13-3) and UC Riverside (12-5). The ’Bows play host to UCR tonight and Irvine at SimpliFi Arena at Stan Sheriff Center.

“It’s huge,” forward Kamaka Hepa said of this week’s final home games of the season for the ’Bows. “Coach Ganot is always talking about how we have an opportunity to influence our destiny. With the two teams we have coming in for our last two home games, it’s the perfect opportunity for us.”

The ’Bows returned to Honolulu on Tuesday after sweeping a two-game road trip. At 20-8 overall, these ’Bows became the the 10th UH team to win 20 games in a season since 1970. They also have clinched a winning Big West record. Next on the to-do list is to avoid lapses, play aggressive defense, and hit shots.

In last week’s road victory, the ’Bows unwrapped a 2-3 zone to slow Long Beach State’s 14-second offense. In that game, 6-foot-10 Hepa was able to lock down the Beach’s Aboubacar Traore. Two days later, UH’s reserves — led by guard Justus Jackson’s 16 points — and a momentum-shifting zone were factors in defeating Cal State Bakersfield.

“Our last two games, we’ve taken things possession by possession, and really down to wanting to win each possession,” Hepa said. “The guys have been playing with no fear, myself included. I’m excited. I think we have a good couple games ahead of us.”

Freshman point guard Kody Williams, who missed Monday’s game because of an ailment, is expected to be available to come off the bench tonight. In unison with starters JoVon McClanahan and Noel Colemen, the ’Bows can play small ball with Williams or Jackson forming a three- or four-guard lineup.

UC Riverside is sporting a new look. In the previous two seasons, 7-foot-1 centers Jock Perry and then Callum McRae were planted in the low post. The Highlanders’ defensive plan was to be active near the arc and funnel opponents toward the rim protectors. Without a space eater and nine new players, the Highlanders have focused more on scoring.

“It’s really cool for me,” UCR coach Mike Magpayo said of the adjustment. “It’s a different deal for me this year to see the offense kind of take the reins and try to win offensively.”

But the Highlanders had to go to Plan B when point guard Zyon Pullin suffered an injury on New Year’s Eve and missed the next five games. Jamal Hartwell II, a transfer from George Mason, and Flynn Cameron, who switched from DePaul in 2021, led the Highlanders in Pullin’s absence.

After Pullin returned, Cameron was able to rotate between shooting guard (46% on 3s in Big West games) and the point. Pullin, who averages 17.6 points, has excelled at spreading the offense. “Zyon’s figured it out,” Magpayo said. “He came out of the gates scoring (after returning to the lineup), and now some of the other weapons grew while he was out. And he’s figuring out where they are on the court, and finding them.”

Another adjustment was needed when 6-foot-8 post Kyle Owens suffered an injury and missed nine games.

“It changed us defensively, offensively, and also the personnel rotation when Kyle went out of the lineup,” Magpayo said. “You can’t really fill Kyle’s leadership and energy and charges he would take. We’re missing that.”

Magpayo said 6-11 Jhaylon Martinez, 6-7 Vladimer Salaridze and 6-7 Wil Tattersall have helped fill the void. Lachlan Olbrich, a 6-10 freshman, has been impactful after recovering from an ankle injury that sidelined him for six weeks.