Warrior Insider

The University of Hawai’i basketball team will host Cal State Fullerton on Saturday in the home finale of the 2016-17 season. The Big West Conference game is scheduled to start at 7:00 p.m. at the Stan Sheriff Center.

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Here are some other news and notes …

Free shirts

If you need incentive to arrive early, the first 1,000 fans at the Stan Sheriff Center will receive a free T-shirt to wear during the “Whiteout” game. All fans are being encouraged to wear white shirts.

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Stay for the halftime

If there were ever a game for fans to stay for the halftime show, Saturday night is it. Three gentlemen – all with ties to UH basketball – will be honored as the newest additions to the University of Hawai’i Sports Circle of Honor.

• Riley Wallace, the winningest coach in UH men’s basketball history who guided the Rainbow Warriors to nine postseason appearances in his 20 seasons as head coach.

• Tony Davis, a dominant player for UH in the late 1950s. He scored 45 points in a UH victory over Cal State Los Angeles in 1959. It is a single-game UH record that remains to this day.

• Jim Leahey, the legendary television and radio broadcaster who did the play-by-play for hundreds of UH men’s basketball games.

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Room for more in the Circle

This year’s basketball-heavy class of inductees to the UH Circle of Honor leads to a list of UH men’s basketball players who should be considered for future classes.

• Bob Nash. He is technically already in as a member of the “Fabulous Five” team that was part of the first group of inductees in 1982. If there is a member of that famous team that deserves to also go in as an individual, it is Nash. Some of his UH rebounding records still stand, and may never be topped. That he gave more than 30 years of his life as a coach (assistant, associate and head) for the program is a bonus. By the way, precedence has already been set with women’s volleyball players being inducted as both individuals and members of teams.

• Chris Gaines. How the all-time leading scorer in program history is not already inducted is mind-boggling, especially considering that he last played in 1990, and passed away in 2010. His four-year total at UH is 1,734 points – more than 200 points ahead of any other player in UH history.

• Carl English. One of the most exciting and popular players in the program’s recent history, and a member of the only teams in UH history to make it to back-to-back NCAA Tournaments (2001 and 2002). His inspiring life story helped bring national – and international – attention to UH.

• Predrag Savovic. The leading scorer of both the 2001 and 2002 NCAA Tournament teams at UH. He currently ranks fourth in UH history with 1,414 points, and he did it in just three seasons.

• Alika Smith. His backcourt partner, Anthony Carter, was justifiably inducted in 2010. For two magical seasons in 1996-97 and 1997-98, it was the “AC & Alika Show.” Smith has the numbers to back it up – he ranks third in UH history with 1,415 points, and when he finished playing at UH in 1998, he held the record for 3-pointers made (since surpassed by three players).

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Feed Noah

In a case study of extremes – feast or famine, if you will – senior forward Noah Allen’s best scoring games this season have led to victory for the Warriors, while his worst scoring games have led to losses.

Allen has scored 30 or more points in four games this season (30 vs. CSUN, 34 vs. UC Santa Barbara, 34 at CSUN, and 30 at Cal Poly). The Warriors are 4-0 in those games.

In contrast, Allen has scored two or fewer points in four games this season (0 vs. Seton Hall, 2 vs. Utah, 2 at Cal State Fullerton, and 0 at UC Irvine). The Warriors are 0-4 in those games.

Allen’s four 30-point games this season are one short of tying the UH season record. The late Gavin Smith had five 30-point games during the 1976-77 season. Interestingly enough, both Allen and Smith transferred from UCLA to Hawai’i for their respective senior seasons.

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Purchase is shooting up the 3 list

Sophomore forward Jack Purchase has made 62 3-pointers so far this season. With three regular-season games on the schedule, he has a realistic shot at making 70 or more 3-pointers for the season. That mark has been reached in a single season only seven times in UH basketball history.

Zane Johnson, who is currently a graduate manager for the Warriors, was the last to reach the mark with 82 during the 2011-12 season. Johnson also set the UH single-season record with 98 3-pointers during the 2010-11 season.

Here is the current UH top 10 for 3-pointers in one season:

1. Zane Johnson (2010-11) 98
2. Michael Kuebler (2003-04) 97
3. Carl English (2002-03) 89
4. Trevor Ruffin (1993-94) 86
5. Zane Johnson (2011-12) 82
6. Predrag Savovic (2001-02) 75
7. Tes Whitlock (1994-95) 72
8. Alika Smith (1997-98) 67
9. Jake Sottos (2004-05) 66
10. Negus Webster-Chan (2014-15) 64

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Stay after the game, too

Regardless of how many points he scores or how the team fares, Noah Allen will be honored after the game as the team’s lone senior.

Following the conclusion of the “Senior Night” ceremonies, all of the players and coaches will be available to sign autographs for fans. The University of Hawai’i Federal Credit Union will be handing out 3,000 team photos that can be used for autographs.

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Warriors move up without playing

Hawai’i started the week in sixth place in the Big West Conference standings, but is now in a tie for fifth place. The Warriors caught CSUN in the standings, thanks to the Matadors’ loss at UC Davis on Thursday.

What’s more, the Warriors can move as high as a tie for third place with a win this Saturday against Cal State Fullerton.

The Titans are currently the Big West’s hottest team with a four-game winning streak. They are 14-12 overall and in third place at 8-5.

Wednesday’s Results
at Cal State Fullerton 56, UC Irvine 54

Thursday’s Results
Cal Poly 78, at Long Beach State 71
at UC Davis 96, CSUN 85
at UC Santa Barbara 68, UC Riverside 61

Saturday’s Games
Cal Poly at UC Riverside
Long Beach State at UC Davis
CSUN at UC Irvine
Cal State Fullerton at Hawai’i, 7:00 p.m.