Warriors look to bounce back at Cal Poly
Teams that shoot the 3 are always considered dangerous. Cal Poly is one of them.
Making those 3s consistently is another matter, and the University of Hawai’i basketball team will look to have its perimeter defense ready when it plays Cal Poly in a Big West Conference road game at San Luis Obispo, Calif.
The game is scheduled to start at 5 p.m. (Hawai’i time) at the Mott Athletics Center. It will not be televised, but a live streaming video is available atwww.bigwest.tv.
Hawai’i is 13-7 overall and 4-3 in the Big West following an 84-82 overtime loss at first-place UC Santa Barbara on Thursday. Cal Poly is 7-15 overall and 2-6 in conference following a 71-68 win over last-place UC Riverside on Wednesday.
The Mustangs lead the Big West in 3-pointers made (8.7 per game) and attempted (23.8 per game), and are second in 3-point percentage (.366). They have made as many as 19 3-pointers in one game (in a 101-97 loss at Cal State Fullerton), but went 3 for 19 from 3-point range and scored a season-low 45 points in a 57-45 loss at Hawai’i on January 10.
Cal Poly is led by its undersized backcourt of 6-foot Victor Joseph and 5-10 Donovan Fields. Joseph is averaging 13.9 points per game, and ranks second in the Big West with 46 3-pointers. Fields is averaging 14.0 points and 4.2 assists per game and has 30 3-pointers. They also happen to be the best free-throw shooters in the conference – Fields is first at 91.5 percent, and Joseph is second at 86.2.
In the loss at Hawai’i, Fields and Joseph combined for 19 points on 7-for-21 shooting, including just 1 for 6 from 3-point range.
Cal Poly’s top post players are 6-7 junior forward Josh Martin and 6-9 senior forward/center Luke Meikle. Martin is averaging 8.7 points and 5.6 rebounds per game; Meikle is contributing 8.0 points and 4.4 rebounds per game.
Hawai’i senior forward Mike Thomas had 22 points and 11 rebounds in the win over Cal Poly, and continues to lead the Warriors in both scoring (13.8) and rebounding (6.3). He also leads the Big West with a .613 field goal percentage, including an impressive .738 in Big West games.
Junior guard Sheriff Drammeh is averaging 11.1 points, 3.5 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game. Senior forward Gibson Johnson is contributing 10.3 points and 4.9 rebounds per game and has a .537 field goal percentage.
Junior guard Brocke Stepteau is averaging 10.1 points and 2.7 assists per game, and has a .557 field goal percentage. Freshman point guard Drew Buggs is contributing 7.3 points, 3.9 assists and 3.5 rebounds per game.
The Warriors have won the last six meetings against Cal Poly, including victories in the Mott Athletics Center in 2016 and 2017.
Hawai’i (13-7, 4-3 Big West) at Cal Poly (7-15, 2-6 Big West)
When: Saturday, Feb. 3, 7:00 p.m. PT/5:00 p.m. HT
Where: Mott Gym (3,032) – San Luis Obispo, Calif.
Television: None
Streaming Video: BigWest.tv.
Radio: ESPN 1420. Neighbor islands can listen live on KNUI on Maui, KPUA on the Big Island, KTOH on Kaua’i, and KNWJ in Pago Pago, American Samoa.
Audio Webcast: ESPN1420am.com/Sideline Hawai’i App.
Live Stats: CalPolyMustangs.com
Saturday’s Games
UC Davis at Long Beach State
UC Irvine at Cal State Fullerton
CSUN at UC Santa Barbara
Hawai’i at Cal Poly, 5:00 p.m. (Hawai’i time)
typical Bigwest anyone can win it season! makes it fun.
I look realistically, at remaining games, unless CSUN(team with good athletes and can be spoiler) same with Riverside(good players and Trap game if they get hot from three land. Fullerton, and Irvine at their house, going be tough, LBSU, they always peak at end of season. The way BigWest is shaping up, UH could be anywheres finishing 1st win regular season titlle OR 8th last qualifier for tournament.
Really exposed UH weakness, when at least 2 bigs for UCSB got their game going and getting those offensive rebounds, UH has to shoot lights, out, great help team defense out to 3 line, and hope the other 9 last games they play , they are not shooting threes well, and they turnover the ball a lot. UH has a very good team, They want to Dominate? this league and go to NCAA or NIT every year? recruit, talent, wherever it might be found. Laura Beeman and her gals, they don’t have the athletes, and the rest of the league is running away from them. we shall see, now in her 5th year going into whether she can recurit, top 300 talent. to Hawaii.
Anyways we have been spoiled since 1972, part of eighties, a few teams in the nineties, and that magical run with Eran and staff management, and whomever stuck it out , a miracle 28 win season and first EVER ncaa win! I hop Eran gets there too, consisitentcy over 10 years, maybe that 7500 in house crowd will retrun like before ! Go Bows Warriors !