Warriors have more business to take care of with UC Irvine
Even after its dismantling of first-place Long Beach State on Thursday, the Hawai’i basketball team has unfinished business to take care of on Saturday. Namely, UC Irvine.
The Warriors will host the Anteaters in a Big West Conference game on Saturday night at the Stan Sheriff Center.
Hawai’i is 14-9 overall and 8-4 in the Big West with a four-game winning streak. UC Irvine is 12-12 and 6-5. The Anteaters beat the Warriors, 68-64, on January 10 in Irvine, Calif. Irvine out-scored Hawai’i 12-7 in the closing minutes of that game.
“I try to forget about that game,” junior guard Brandon Spearman said. “Just come out (Saturday) and give it my all. Give it our all and compete and hopefully it won’t end up like the last time we played them.”
The Warriors are coming off a 94-73 rout of Long Beach State on Thursday, but Saturday’s game will likely be played at a slower pace. UC Irvine is statistically the best defensive team in the Big West. The Anteaters rank first in the conference in scoring defense (64.2 points per game allowed) and field goal percentage defense (.385).
Hawai’i’s advantage could be the Stan Sheriff Center, especially if a large crowd shows up. The Anteaters are 1-5 on the road in the conference this season, including a 70-61 loss at Cal State Northridge on Thursday.
The Warriors are 5-1 at home in conference games this season, and are averaging 79.3 points per game in those contests.
The Warriors usually have a distinct size advantage in the post, but the Anteaters have some size of their own. Will Davis II, a 6-foot-8 sophomore, is averaging 7.6 points and 6.3 rebounds per game, and leads the Big West with 49 blocked shots. Adam Folker, a 6-9 senior, is averaging 9.1 points and 6.3 rebounds per game and has a .569 field goal percentage.
Hawai’i ranks first in the Big West in rebounding with 39.7 per game, but UC Irvine is second with 39.1.
Irvine’s top player is Daman Starring, a 6-3 senior guard who is averaging 13.3 points per game and leads the team with 46 3-pointers.
The Warriors continue to be led by their “big three” of 6-8 Christian Standhardinger, 6-10 Vander Joaquim, and 6-8 Isaac Fotu. Standhardinger is averaging 16.1 points and 8.0 rebounds per game, and has nine double-doubles this season; Joaquim is averaging 14.0 points and 8.0 rebounds per game; Fotu is contributing 9.9 points and 6.8 rebounds per game.
Spearman is averaging 9.8 points per game, and senior Hauns Brereton is averaging 14.0 points per game during the current four-game win streak.
GAME INFORMATION: Hawai’i (14-9, 8-4 Big West) vs. UC Irvine (12-12, 6-5 Big West)
When: Saturday, Feb. 9, 7:00 p.m. (Hawai’i time)
Where: Stan Sheriff Center (10,300) – Honolulu, HI
Television: Live statewide on OCSports – Channels 16 (SD) and 1016 (HD).
Streaming Video: Live video streaming is available on ocsports.tv.
Radio: ESPN 1420 AM will carry the game live. 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
Ticket Information: $26 (lower); $18 (upper-adult); $16 (upper-sr. citizen); $5 (upper-youth, ages 4-HS); UH Manoa students free with validated ID. Parking $6.
Promotions: Jack in the Box is the sponsor on Saturday and will distribute 1,000 shopper bags. The student theme is “70s Disco Night.”
The student theme for Saturday’s game is “ ‘70s Disco Night.” Below is a promotional video by UH Film Productions:
It will be another big game tonight. I hope the team keeps up their intensity. While we are within arms reach from the top of the standings, we are only up by one game in the loss column from three other teams in the middle. We will need this game to help create separation from the pack (or at least from Irvine).
While I am not expecting UCI to be able to press the whole game, they are capable of applying pressure. I saw their Pepperdine game early in the season, and they forced three or four straight turnovers in crunch time before falling. They also had a 10-man rotation before tightening it up in conference play. It should be another fun game. I hope the crowd shows up.
Pay Back UC Irvine Tonight (then also pass them in the Tournament)
40 Minutes of Hard, TOUGH, Smart ʻBow Warrior Play is Tough to Beat…
Keep Practicing That Domination
Much More Likely to Finish with A Win when you maintain a solid Lead
(So No Rallies like LBSUʻs or Last Time with UCI are enough to overcome Your Great Efforts)
Light Them Up, Too!
Great Shot Selection, MAKE ALL the Five Footers (You Beat LB Good at that!)
Earn Free Throws
Beat this otherwise good rebounding team to D & O Boards..
Minimize Turnovers
Shoot Lights Out (the Whole Rest of the Season)
Rock the ʻRena!
The 70’s disco video production is quality great, but I don’t think Christian and Hauns will be winning an Emmy’s anytime soon. Rozitis is great!
Can we please get more than 6,300 in the seats? I thought they had ticket promotions for this stretch of games? Students were loud and growing in #’s, but it’s the non-students that need to start showing up.
Crowd support feels like 2005-2007 UH football when Brennan & Co were here. Fans didn’t start showing up until late 2007 even though the team was flying high for a few years. In fact, they didnt sellout a home game until the last two games of Brennan’s UH career. Many fans missed out on the best stretch of UH football history.
I still think UH suffers from the scarring caused by the Bob Nash era. During his tenure, many long time season ticket holders dropped out because the program was awful and nearly unwatchable for 3 years.
In my opinion, UH is at the beginning of something special. Once Valdes and Shamburger become active and Michael Thomas gets to UH, the team becomes far more athletic to go along with te size that returns next year.
Mahalo, for flooded-out “the Beach” with 53pts 1st1/2 to got the win for the “Manoa Maniacs”; Set the counter => 3-0 fabulously!
The Anteaters beat you by 4 now, it’s time to paid them back with 20pts dividend!
Your 6th-man will be in SSC again for you:
>> Play two good 1/2s of 50pts each.
>> Win the TO war. Test your Full-Court-Press (high steals, please).
>> A show-off dunk give you a usual 2 whereas, a sured-handed easy scored may earned you a bonus of 1 more!
>> Gifts ~ Coach Gib’s 50th-W; TEAM’s 5th-W straight; Count => 4-0 perfect.
Fro2: Give us another high-double-double!?
Play with same intensity whole game. If pressured, wonder if Gib has a post route for a wing to run, screen and go, for inbounds play? Would have to have good passer, like a quarterback, have wing or Big run towards basket, and have inbound man throw the good post pattern pass,(like football). You do that a few times, will translate to easy buckets. However, UH MBB team would have to be precise, otherwise throw ball away.
Anyways, UH MBB play hard, smart , together. You can get important win. As I have said, don’t let this game be the TRAP game, one you think you are going to win, and let get away. Just play to WIN. You guys can do it!
Ok Warriors, one more game this weekend, you lost to Irvine last time , do they come to OUR HOUSE and repeat it ? NOOO, Protect the HOUSE!! Warrior Time. Students get out tonight and support your fellow Warriors, Fans come out to a great event at the SSC. Only a few games left and this team is fun to watch , so are the Maniacs!!
Protect your house! Go bows! Time to take care of business vs Irvine.
Every game is different . Can’t rest on their laurels. The next game is a great opportunity to try to improve and get better from the instructions the players were taught in practice. Now to use what they learned and do it in the game that counts. Good luck Warriors.