Warrior Insider

The University of Hawai’i basketball team is currently in its longest break between games this season.

The Rainbow Warriors defeated Troy, 72-67, on November 13 to cap three wins in four nights to open the season. Their next game is scheduled for November 24 against Nevada.

The players received two days off following the win over Troy, and that still gave them eight days to prepare for Nevada.

“The rest definitely helps,” junior point guard Brocke Stepteau said. “It’s a good time to get your body right, but I think we’re ready to play now.”

Junior forward Jack Purchase added: “It gets you time off to get your body right, get you feeling good again so when you come back, you’re fresh. You get time off for school, get some homework in, if you need to do that. It definitely helps to have a couple of days off here and there.”

After this week, the next time the Warriors get an extended break between games will be an eight-day span in mid-December, when final examinations will be taking place. Because of this current extended break, the Warriors had a chance to work on their own schemes before focusing on Nevada.

“We’re working on what we need to do,” Purchase said. “That’s been our focus the last couple days, just focusing on us and getting ready. I’m sure (this) week we’ll be pretty locked in toward Nevada and stuff that they do because they beat some pretty good teams recently. They’re probably a top 30 team right now.”

Interestingly enough, Hawai’i’s next game will be on the day after Thanksgiving. In other words, Thanksgiving Day for the Warriors will include a team meal … and practice.

Purchase, who is from Australia, said: “I just know we get a couple days off from school. That’s my favorite part.”

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BIG WEST UPDATE

Through the first two weeks of the regular season, Hawai’i (3-0) is the only undefeated team among the Big West Conference programs.

Long Beach State is 2-1, with its only loss at Oregon State; Defending Big West champion UC Davis is also 2-1, with its only loss against Utah Valley. Hawai’i will host Utah Valley on December 17.

UC Riverside opened its season with an upset win at Cal, but then lost its next two games, against Loyola Marymount and Portland. The UCR win at Cal is the Big West Conference’s only victory over a power conference program so far this season.

UC Davis senior forward Chima Moneke was named the Big West Conference Player of the Week on Monday. He averaged 24.0 points and 10.0 rebounds per game in the Aggies’ three games last week.