Pick a number between two and seven, any number.
That guessing game extends to the University of Hawaii basketball team.
Depending on the outcome of road games against UC Davis tonight and Cal State Northridge on Saturday, the Rainbow Warriors can earn the second through seventh seed in next week’s Big West tournament.
“That’s how it is in our conference,” point guard Drew Buggs said. “That’s how it’s been so far this season.”
The ’Bows are an even 7-7 in an uneven Big West season. They opened league play at 5-1, lost five of the next six, and were 1-1 in last week’s final homestand of the regular season. The ’Bows had one of their best games in beating Cal State Fullerton a week ago, then followed that by scoring a decades-low 43 points in a clunker against UC Riverside.
Against Riverside, the ’Bows shot 20.8% in the second half, misfiring on all eight of their 3s after the intermission.
“The last game was just a bad night for us,” Buggs said of UH’s senior night. “It was a lot of emotion. They do things to take us out of rhythm, and we were a little out of rhythm.”
Head coach Eran Ganot said: “We had some good looks, but we didn’t knock (the shots) down. And we have to put our guys in better positions to have more of those good looks. I thought some of our execution issues we settled for some things. We didn’t get any easy baskets, which is a big part. And we didn’t capitalize on transition opportunities. We didn’t make the decisions. We didn’t finish around the rim. We’re going back to the things we need to do to be better.”
During practices, the ’Bows emphasized the concentric approach. On ball-screen plays, they practiced with two offensive players, then added two defensive players, then expanded to five-on-five in the halfcourt, then to fullcourt. The visual and practical instructions are instrumental in the ’Bows’ game preparation.
“We’re teachers, and we’re trying to figure out a problem,” Ganot said. “We have an approach to it. Every guy learns a different way, and we attack it in different ways. And they finish it with (a) film (session). Seeing it, going through it, hearing about it — we use all three.”
In the eclectic Big West, UC Davis offers a unique four-guard challenge. When 6-7 Kennedy Koehler starts in the post ahead of 6-11 Matt Neufeld, according to UH assistant coach and scouting analyst Jabari Trotter, “all five can shoot” from outside. The Aggies lead the Big West in 3s made (8.07 per game). Stefan Gonzalez has buried a nation-best 49.1% of his 3s.
“The game is really simple with them: try to run them off the 3-point line,” Trotter said. “They shoot it at a really high clip, especially at home. They’re definitely more comfortable on their own court. Momentum is a lot easier for them to build at home.”
The Aggies are 14-6 overall, 8-6 in the Big West, and 8-3 in The Pavilion. This is their first March game after going 6-2 in February.
For the ’Bows, the antidote is an active defense.
“There are going to be nights when shots fall and nights when they don’t,” guard Eddie Stansberry said. “But what we can bring consistently is our defense. That something we take pride in. We realize if we can bring energy on that end, it’ll carry over to our offense.”
The ’Bows have tried different defensive schemes. Zigmars Raimo has been used as a post-up four and an agile five. Wing Samuta Avea can slide to the four when UH wants to activate a quicker lineup. In three defensive stands, 7-foot reserve Mate Colina forced two Riverside turnovers.
“I just bring energy,” Colina said. “I try to do what I can do. I do what I can with the opportunities I get.”
BIG WEST BASKETBALL
>> Who: Hawaii (16-12, 7-7 BWC) at UC Davis (14-16, 8-6)
>> When: Today, 5 p.m.
>> Where: The Pavillion in Davis, Calif.
>> TV: None
>> Radio: 1420-AM / 92.7 FM
>> Streaming: BigWest.tv
