LONG BEACH, CALIF. >> The Hawaii basketball team had something to ponder Sunday, its designated rest and recovery day coming off an 84-75 regular-season-ending loss at Long Beach State the night before.
How to beat the 49ers — who scored inside almost at will for much of the game — on a tight turnaround?
Given that there was serious doubt just a few days ago UH would even get the chance to play in the Big West tournament because of the Rainbow Warriors’ postseason ban, that’s a challenge Eran Ganot’s group is happy to grapple with.
Fifth-seeded UH (14-15, 8-8 BWC) was in play for a top-three finish entering last week, surprising considering it entered the season with a totally overhauled roster and was picked eighth in the preseason but was in play for a top-three finish heading into the week.
However, it lost at UC Davis and LBSU to finish 3-5 in road games. Fourth-seeded LBSU (14-18, 9-7) split the season series with UH home and home; UH won an overtime thriller, 114-107, on Jan. 14, the highest-scoring conference game in program history.
The ’Bows might not be the favorite as they were last March, but the requirement is the same: three wins in three days to defend their title and make the NCAA Tournament.
“It’s a great opportunity,” Ganot said after his team was outscored by 26 in the paint on Saturday night. “We’re excited, obviously, to play in the tournament. And to play a team that we split with, to get another crack at them. I’m sure they are excited about it as well.”
In program history, it’s been exceptionally rare to have to play the same team to end the regular season and again to open the conference tournament. Only one time, actually — Wyoming in the WAC of 1990. Chris Gaines, Troy Bowe, Phil Lott and company lost 61-60 on the Cowboys’ court on March 3 but turned around and beat them five days later, 66-63, in the first round in El Paso, Texas.
Today’s ’Bows are staying in Long Beach through Tuesday. Because of their late clearance to play this week, they’ve had to improvise on lodging and practice sites. After Tuesday, the team will be staying at a hotel near Irvine about a half-hour drive away from the Honda Center.
Of immediate concern is the status of forward Jack Purchase, who rolled his right ankle going for a rebound in the first half Saturday and did not return.
“Jack’s situation … we have at least some time, we don’t have travel, which helps us,” Ganot said. “We have a guru, a great one, in (athletic trainer) Jay Goo, who will do a great job.”
Purchase, the team’s third-leading scorer (10 points per game) and top 3-point marksman, wore a protective boot after the game but was walking around unassisted.
“Jay Goo is the magician,” Purchase said. “He’ll have me right by Thursday.”
UH also will try to right its post- and help-defense after allowing The Beach to shoot 54.2 percent — including a 9-for-9 outing by forward Temidayo Yussuf.
The ’Bows knew going into the game that a loss meant a rematch.
“Yeah, Long Beach State,” Allen said after exiting the visitors locker room. “I mean, we’re just looking forward to getting to play in the tournament, you know what I mean? We’re going to try to come ready to play as best we can and hopefully we can get a ‘W.’ ”
UH has the nightcap game at the Honda Center (about 6:30 p.m. Hawaii time) following matchups between No. 2 UC Davis and No. 7 Cal Poly (10 a.m.); No. 3 Cal State Fullerton and No. 6 Cal State Northridge (12:30 p.m.); and No. 1 UC Irvine and No. 8 UC Riverside (4 p.m.). All the first-round games are televised on Fox Sports Prime Ticket.
All-conference awards are announced today. Allen (15.5 points per game, league-high 18.5 in BWC games) is a candidate for Big West newcomer of the year and could make an all-conference team.
