Warrior Insider

The Inside Source for Hawaii Men's Basketball
Search

Four straight road games are next for Warriors

The Hawai’i basketball team’s opponents in the Big West Conference may only be one flight away, but it is still a long flight. And playing four road games in a row certainly presents a challenge any way you approach it.

The Warriors are scheduled to depart Honolulu on Tuesday night for Los Angeles. They will play two road games this week – at Cal Poly on Thursday, then at UC Santa Barbara on Saturday.

They will return to Honolulu on Sunday, then depart again next Tuesday for road games at UC Riverside on January 31, then at Cal State Fullerton on February 2.

“It is what it is, I don’t do the scheduling,” Hawai’i head coach Gib Arnold said. “When I saw it I was a little bit surprised. I looked and we are the only team that has that.”

Gib_UCD2

The Warriors are 10-8 overall and tied for third place in the Big West at 4-3. They are 0-3 on the road this season.

“It gives us a chance to get used to playing on the road,” Arnold said. “We need to go on the road and get some wins and the conference has been good enough to give us four straight chances to win on the road.”

Arnold said staying in Southern California for all four games was a possibility, but he opted for the return in between games so that the players could attend classes.

“It’s too much school to miss,” he said. “You’d like to be able to (stay on the road), but we’d miss way too much school … guys gotta be in class and that’s always going to be first priority.”

Arnold added that road trips offer an opportunity for the team to bond and spend more time with each other.

“There are some parts about the road that I actually really like,” he said. “I like that it is all basketball and we can spend a lot of time together as a team.”

The Warriors will need to regain momentum on the road after dropping their first Big West home game of the season to UC Davis on Saturday. UC Davis guard Corey Hawkins scored 40 points and was named the Big West Conference Player of the Week.

The Warriors have been working on their defense this week, and Arnold said he likes how the team used their full-court pressure schemes in two games last week.

“I like that, I think it’s good for us,” he said. “We’re going to try and be more aggressive.”

GAME INFORMATION: Hawai’i (10-8, 4-3 Big West) at Cal Poly (7-9, 3-3 Big West)
When: Thursday, Jan. 24, 5:00 p.m. (Hawaii time)
Where: Mott Gym (3,032) – San Luis Obispo, Calif.
Television: None
Streaming Video: Live video streaming is available on BigWest.tv.
Radio: ESPN 1420 AM will carry the game. Neighbor islands can listen live on KNUI on Maui, KHLO in Hilo, KKON in Kona, and KTOH on Kaua’i.
Audio Webcast: Live audio streaming on espn1420am.com
Live Stats: Live in-game stats are available at HawaiiAthletics.com

28 Comments

  1. Wonder, since UH is new team on the block , that Big West made that schedule. Remember old WAC, might have had one road swing, where team was on Mainland USA for two weeks and played 3 games and a Bracket Buster.That was rough. Weird, UH goes to Cali for two games. Flies back home for 2 days, then goes back out for 2 games following week. Well, UH, it will be a test, nothing but basketball(but keep up with school guys!)and bonding. This team has to relax to, and have fun playing ball, they seem like a very close knit group, of course the next 4 games huge, have to go 2-2 or better!

  2. I believe we come back home with a losing record

  3. If the team comes back with four straight road wins ,it will be the first time in history for our program,
    otherwise if not , you can count on this, Coach Gib will come back with hair whiter than Coach Fisher !

  4. As a parent I am comforted by Gib’s approach to the boys’ academic achievements and ensuring that their schooling stays number one priority – as a UHMBB fan – let’s get the wins on the road trips, keep Isaac happy and Hauns and Jawato get better very soon!!!

  5. I agree with Aussie Mum. Academics should be the #1 priority.

    As far as the road trip, this will be a very important 4-game road swing for Hawaii. Cal Poly and UCSB are both within a half of a game from us in the standings. It will be crucial to get both wins for seeding purposes in the BW tourney.

    Other notes: Ole Miss is ranked #23/#24 in the AP and Coaches poll respectively, and Miami is ranked #25 in the AP top 25. However, both UNLV and Illinois dropped from both polls. It appears to have been a pretty good non-conference schedule for us. Obviously, we can play with anyone for at least a full half.

  6. Yeah, would be great if UH can get momentum back on this trip and position themselves for a good seeding during tournament time.

  7. academics is so important in life but let’s be real…..how much student athletes are going to the school for the best education?…..I love that gib wants his players to be students first but I myself need the wins….passing classes are just apart of it

  8. hawaiifan09: You might be implying Reverse Psychology? I have to think that too. UH is going 0-4 over next 4 road games, then they come back 4-0!

    hf9, You know who is pretty accurate on this forum, in predicting outcome of games and 2 game home and away series, I don’t know if he is in Hawaii, am sure he is a Warrior fan, Mr. “Dallan”

    So a shout out to Dallan: D, what is YOUR take on the 4 road games for UH warriors over next few weeks? Do they , UH, come back 0-4, 1-3 ,2-2, 3-1 or 4-0, you made an unbelievable prediction on last week’s home stand, you said SPLIT , and , it happened.

    So what say Dallan, UH goes winless on these road games?

    Just for fun!

    I am hoping UH will at least split 2-2, they have too.

  9. Why not get a classmate to film/record the class. Every smartphone has that capability. It seems like a waste of the teams time, and the athletic dept. s money to fly home for two days and then go back to the West Coast. Have study halls on the mainland, with the class content.

    Just because the Big West is a guard oriented conference, does not mean we have to be. Our bigs are our strength. Post up OZ and let the guarding 6′ try to stop him. Reduce turnovers, hit freethrows, and get most of the rebounds, and we will be hard to beat.

  10. Bball is important too (and is a close 2nd after academics). I mean, that’s what these athletes were brought here to do.

    Academics is tied-in with college athletics anyhow, so the players should have to take care of both aspects as student athletes.

  11. ONE SNAP & CLEAR…?

    O.K…. Probably ʻCos WE Really Thought WE COULD SWEEP Home Games,
    FANS Continue to QUESTION WhaʻHappened Saturday Night against UC-DAVIS?

    Upon More Questions RE: UC-Davis Loss: Additional Comments From COACH GIB from his radio call-in tonight just before beginning the four game road trip: (paraphrasing)

    “Saturday Night an Average Shooting Team shot lights out in the First Half — (14 of 16 Threes) — it happens …
    Hawkins is really a drive-first player, like he was doing in the second half, so our guys were playing off of him …. of Hawkinʻs 8 (out of nine) threes, only two were against his defensive man; the others were off of transitions or offensive rebounds & kick-outs; he AND his teammates were held down in the second half (shooting threes) but he killed UH with his primary “drive” game and (twelve straight) free-throws; that just happens some nights…”now you can see why my hair’s so white…the same guys playing defense two nights earlier hold a better shooting team to 3 of 27 threes, then the next game a lesser shooting team hits 14 of 16 ….the only thing that really stopped them was half-time, when things can kind of cool down ….”

    ———————-

    This ROAD TRIP: FOUR OPPORTUNITIES To “Steal Wins””
    4.00 Scale is Good Gauge of Level of Success

    TWO Wins or More and theyʻre probably reasonably in the Hunt for a Tourney Run,
    may be without the Need for “Miracles”
    ANY Thought of NIT or Regular Season Title — for now just Track Versus Long Beach….
    UH Needs to “Make Up” Two Losses in the remaining Nine Regular Season BW Games
    (with one UH Home match ahead).

  12. eagle,

    my guess, with UH playing probably at their best , with current roster, and in regards to a not 100% Vaner, Hauns and Jawato. I am thinking, and of course I hope I am wrong.

    UH has 7 more road games, they have as good a shot as at home to win at minimum 2. So for the road UH goes 2-7. They are currently 4-2 at home with 4 more at SSC. I think UH wins the last 4 home games, so that is 4-0 at home sweet home, and great kudos to students, they are THE Sixth Man, great atmosphere gang!

    UH is currently 10-8 overall with 12 games remaining, including Bracket Buster game at SSC. So, according to my, forecast, and it is not rocket science, just following the team’s progress over past 18 games, and subsequent weaknesses and injuries, UH goes 7-5(including a win against probably a West Coast team) the rest of the way.

    Conference regular season record: 10-8 maybe a 6th or 7th seed for tourney. The teams are so clogged together in standings, no one except LBSU, that is trying to separate selves from the pack. Still UH and 6 other teams are within 2 games of The Beach(LBSU).

    IN the Tourney, whoever gets hot wins it, and goes dancing. i.e the 93-94 Rainbows, went 3-0 and went NCAA’s, the Carl English Freshman year with Savo, didn’t have great regular season, got hot, and went 3-0 at Tulsa’s home floor and went dancing against Syracuse in 01-02 season

    Bottom line, barring complete collapse, UH finishes regular season overall record at 17-13(which I think guarantees a “Riley Wallace” CIT invite at 17 wins), and has a chance for all the marbles. Either win the BWC tourney in Anaheim(Disneyland!) and NCAA or CIT at least.

    Someone else posted, that UH goes 16-14 regular season, with chance to get opening round win in BWC and get that magic 17 win number for CIT.

    Right now, I think Gib and team, just want to get ONE win…which one? The NEXT game..one game at a time guys,, Have to PLAY NO FEAR, Right Attitude, Execution, Energy, and Finish on road or at home.

    I never thought BWC would be that competitive, I think they have better pure BB players than last years WAC.

    Well fans, hang in there, one game at a time.

    As far as Academics, that is why UH players are called STUDENT ATHLETES, They are not professional, and majority if not all , will not play in NBA or overseas, so getting their degrees is so important, Just ask the parents of the MBB team!

    UH team, do well in School so important, and the wins, will come!

  13. Correction: UH is currently 4-1 at home after loss to Cal Davis,. sorry!

  14. sorry, that English RS freshman year with Savo when they went to Dance was 2000-01, they beat Tulsa at Tulsa who hosted WAC tourney to go on to meet the Orangemen of Syracuse

  15. Hawaiifan09,
    Just because some because some people are happy to pass a class doesn’t mean that is what you strive for. As in life you want to excel in all aspects of what you do. I thinks it’s admirable to hear Coach Gib wants to give his players that opportunity. As in sports, you want to put your players in a position to succeed.

  16. Oops. Sorry for not proof reading before submitting post.

  17. OK Road Warriors, time to win these two games tomorrow and saturday, Davis, dont forget to film the road trip and upload to Warrior Insider, Go Hard or Go Home. !! Winning solves all ills!

  18. Just my opinion, Arnold should go back to starting the lineup that won 4 of 5 games (1 in DHC, and 3 straight agianst Northridge, Fullerton, and Riverside). That’s Vander, Christian, Fotu, Hauns, and Manroop. Hauns injury maybe curtail his minutes, so then Ozi could play the SF, or maybe Jawato.
    I don’t know why Arnold changed the lineup on the first road trip. To me, it was a mistake. 18 games into the season, you would think Arnold has the pulse of the team now, but then a again maybe he doesn’t. Does he know the players intimate enough to know what makes them tick? Does he know what players play well under pressure and deliver? And who doesn’t? Who makes key plays? Etc. Etc. The only thing the team needs to do right is focus totally on Cal-Poly. Don’t think about going 3-1 or 4-0 or that crap. don’t eve think about Santa Barbara either. Doesn’t do any good. Fan do that a lot, but it doesn’t do any good either. Like most of the games in the Best West, it will come down to the end. Which teams execute and makes the critical plays. We haven’t closed the deal yet on the road. Now is a good time to start. Good luck, Warriors!

  19. Derek,
    I’m not sure if that’s our best line-up, but I also don’t fully understand the changes he made on the first road trip. I realize Gib is big on creating mismatches, but everytime he makes a change it seems as though we are starting from square one as far as team rythym and timing.

  20. If they stayed on the road for all 4 games it would be a disaster, especially if you lose the first two games. You only get more weary physically and mentally on the road as the days go by.

  21. Derek:

    A lot of us wondered too, why change a lineup that went 4-1 for a stretch going into first road trip? Don’t know why. I figure, Manroop is back in the mix, becuase of injuries to Hauns and Jawato. Ozi, is a good 2 or 3, and he gets his motor and confidence going , the guy can score.

    This Cal Poly game is a big one for team, coach and all of us fans. Get the first, and things look better. And correct, the whole season plays out for seeding and the one bid to NCAA for Big West Conference. Still for Gib, he has to start to amass wins, very important for this year and for recruiting in coming years.

    Wish the Warriors well, hey, we want the team to win and have fun doing it.

    Servante:
    Good thing the road trips are just to West Coast. If the old WAC , UH would stay up for 2 weeks, more financial sense. Hope Ben Jay is on top of how, finances play out in future road trips, have to stay on top with the Big West schedulers. I think, Gib stated Northridge has a 4 consecutive road swing too, however, they just travel by bus , up and down, Cali, not across 2500 miles of ocean.

    Once again, all UH MBB fans tune in live streaming video BigWest.TV on Thursday 5pm HST. hopefully by 7pm UH will have a great win!

  22. Will be tuning in again. It’s the highlight of our week the watching the Warriors (no Rugby since it’s summer) games. You can do it, one game at a time!!!

    Go Warriors.

  23. UH definitely will have their hands full this weekend. It’s great to see that everyone agrees about school. Unlike other conferences (with exception of WAC last year which was worst for UH) who’s travel time from site to site is a short 1-2 hour plane ride to most of their opponents. UH has to travel about 5+ hours for their set of road games in the Big West which can be difficult for the student athlete. Very happy the read about the decision to think about the student first then the athlete/game.

    Playhoopsa:
    Great point at the end there about getting a degree.

    Tonganator:
    We love Rugby and my boys (including Aaron) and me made it a point to watch the last World Cup especially the finals. We are big All Blacks fans here and we were excited to see them win. I wish we can see more games on the mainland but we are limited to the World Cup games and some of the friendly matches and small tournaments at times.

  24. Hmmmm….

    12/22/12 Miami 73, Hawaii 58

    1/23/13 No. 25 Miami 90, No. 1 Duke 63

  25. Butler lost too today, against La Salle. It’s just tough to win on the road, period. Duke just got pounded real good. Best thing is to forget about it and focus on the next game. Duke will be back.

  26. TribeVx4.

    Rugby season kick off soon with the Super 15 compitition before the international games start. We are all proud of what the All Blacks achieved each year. Great rivally with our brothers in Australia in all sports (except Aussie rules) and Aussie mum will agree.

    When Isaac returns for summer, I will get him to learn the Haka so he can go back an teach the guys. He knows it as he has performed it when played for the national side.

    Can’t wait to watch Air Aaron next year, and the rest of the young guys. Exciting times.

  27. Tonganator:

    You can’t wait for Aaron? This is the longest it’s been for us without seeing Aaron play any sport. We are excited as well for the team and with the upmost respect to the Seniors and this years group, we can’t wait until next year. With all the guys coming in and the current guys it is going to be a fun fun season for everyone. Isaac, Aaron and the guys will do well and have fun doing it.

    We don’t get to watch the Super 15 here. Must be great great competition. I’ll try to see if i can stream some of the games here. Must be fun to see some of the up and coming players.

  28. playhoopsa

    Ya, traveling is a lot better now that we don’t have to go to La tech, Utah State, Etc. I think part of the success for any program is funding. Just gotta have it to have any kind of success these days. I noticed that in the Diamond Head Classic they were selling $14 tickets for the upper sides. I think a lot of people came because they saw those tickets and went to more games. I think that is something Ben Jay needs to look at and put those $14 tickets for all games. For a lot of people the cheapest ticket ($18) is a lot considering the tight economy. Plus they will make up for the cheaper tickets by increased food and beverage sales. Plus I think we need to get a $100 discount card (you pay $75 for it) which is good for any UH game and does not expire—like Starbucks. There are so many ways you could generate money. Come on UH, those empty seats going to waste.

Leave a Response

Login or fill in the fields below to comment. (New user? Register)

Supporters