Warriors can still finish as high as third in WAC
Before the Hawai’i basketball team embarked on its 10-day road trip that would cover more than 10,000 air miles, the Warriors were in fourth place in the Western Athletic Conference. They returned to Honolulu on Sunday … still in fourth place.
Of course, what happened in between is another story.
Hawai’i went 0-3 on the trip, losing the games by a combined score of 293-219. Still – amazingly – the Warriors control their own destiny for a top-three seeding for the WAC Tournament.
Hawai’i is 15-13 overall and tied for fourth in the WAC at 6-6, with two regular-season games remaining, both at the Stan Sheriff Center. The Warriors will host third-place Idaho (7-5) on Thursday and Utah State (6-6) on Saturday.
If Hawai’i beats both of those teams at home this week, it will be the No. 3 seed for the eight-team WAC Tournament in Las Vegas (March 8-10).
“It’s still anybody’s game, and then you get to that conference tournament and you start over,” Hawai’i head coach Gib Arnold said. “But we have to get some lively legs so we can move around on defense and get that separation when we get pressed … and we have to get our minds right.”
A split this week could put the Warriors anywhere from fourth to sixth in the final standings, depending on what the other teams do. Two losses this week will drop Hawai’i to fifth of sixth.
“We’re playing for some pride right now to finish the season as best as we can,” Arnold said. “We’re excited to go home, and obviously, we got senior night in there.”
Senior guards Zane Johnson and Miah Ostrowski will be honored after Saturday’s game. Arnold is hoping the home fans come out this week to support the seniors and help give the Warriors some momentum for the WAC Tournament.
“These guys are good kids and for the most part they’ve given their all and things haven’t fallen in the right places,” Arnold said. “Hopefully, we can get back and get our great fans back there and give these kids a lot of support at the end of the season.”
With all that adversity, travel, weariness…to come back home for two games that count towards a 3 seed, it is amazing. This season has been a roller coaster ride. Now with the support of the loyal fans of UH MBB. …Zane and Miah and the guys can get it done. Imagine finishing 17 wins and 13 losses, and wining that WAC tourney would be awesome. Everything good. Get 17 or 18 wins and still possibly go to College Insider Tourney still good.
Go Rainbow Warriors!! Captains, get team only meeting together , and go for that tourney title!!
Dayton: On behalf of a great nucleus of renewed UH MBB fans, thanks so very much for an excellent site, great sponsors, and great staff…!!
Mahalo.!!
Dayton,
Any whispers of coach Gib’s intentions/recruiting at least a couple more good-very good point guards for next season?? UH definitely needs “floor-generals.”
Winning Out this week and going deeper into the WAC and CIT would All be Good … i know Coach Gib is still pursuing (and even expecting ) more…
I’m sure the job is looking tougher than Gib originally thought …
Aiming Higher Next year …(again) … gonna need skills (ball-handling, penetrate & passing) and firepower in the backcourt & wings …
In a Recent interview Gib noted that he likes to be three deep at every position, so they were pursuing another point guard (to replace Miah);
and a scoring wing based on the players they’re tracking (like DeShawn Mitchell would’ve been).
Just to reiterate what has been said many times, Dayton, Thank you for this website and all the videos that have been posted. We have really enjoyed visiting this site this year and hope that you continue it, with even more videos, in the future. Mahalo.
Your only as good as your guard play. This team has a very hard time trying to break the press. Usually outside of Miah, there is not another ball handler on the court. Zane cannot handle or bring the ball up with confidence if Miah needs help. When you play a very athletic team that can press UH is going to have problems. I am really happy we are going to the big west next year for travel reasons, however, we have to stop using that as an excuse. Eventually, you HAVE to win on the road if this program is going to go to the next level. Bottom Line. We have to win these two at home, no excuses, get it done.
Uhfanzonly1, Eagle, akuhead2 and many others … thanks for your support throughout.
It has been another trying year, financially, for this site, but the increased interest in the program (and thus, this site) is encouraging. If any of you know of businesses or individuals who might be good fits as sponsors, please forward info via e-mail to dayton@warriorinsider.com.
Thanks to travel sponsorship from Pacific Risk Solutions and Valerie Schmidt/Ameriprise Financial, WarriorInsider.com will be in Las Vegas for the WAC Tournament to provide coverage of the team. Hope to see some of you there!
mctruck,
I haven’t been able to pin down any specifics, but I know that all four of the coaches on the staff (including Gib Arnold) took some time during the last marathon road trip to make side trips for recruiting. Since they were in that part of the country, they went to see players in Texas, Louisiana and some northern states as well (including Minnesota).
As I’ve said before, the recruiting is in constant motion with this staff. Still too early to tell what might happen this off-season, though.
Will be interesting to see the outcome and effort for this week’s crucial games, as when the season is over Gib will regroup and see who stays and who goes, he’s had enough of bad attitudes ,selfish play. As the Vandals are knocking on the Warriors doors come thursday night saying : “WARRIORS, COME OUT AND PLAYYYY!!! “
Dayton,
thanks for your reply. appreciate it mucho.