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Warriors look for future payoff by playing UNLV at Dollar Loan Center

In hopes of a future payoff, the University of Hawai’i basketball team is on a one-game road trip to Henderson, Nev., this week.

The Rainbow Warriors will face UNLV on Wednesday at the Dollar Loan Center in Henderson. The game is scheduled to start at 7:00 p.m. Pacific Time (5:00 p.m. in Hawai’i).

The Dollar Loan Center is the same arena that will host the Big West Conference Championship Tournament in March.

“We get to play there before our tournament in March, so it’s a good experience to just come in and play there,” junior forward/center Bernardo da Silva said. “I think it will be good for us.”

Last season was the first time that the Big West Tournament was played at the Dollar Loan Center. Hawai’i went 1-1, beating UC Riverside in the first round, the losing to Cal State Fullerton in the semifinals.

“Obviously it makes sense for Hawai’i,” head coach Eran Ganot said. “And then to hear that we’re playing a UNLV team that’s really good; we knew that they’d be really good this year and they’re off to an 8-0 start, that’s what you want. … Also knowing that you’re going to play where the conference tournament is hosted, the combination of those things is why you wanted to play the game.”

Hawai’i is 5-2 following an unexpected – and controversial – 53-51 home loss to Texas A&M-Commerce last Wednesday. UNLV is 8-0 following a 95-78 road win at San Diego on Saturday. The Dollar Loan Center is a multi-purpose arena with a seating capacity of 5,567. It is home to the NBA G League Ignite team, as well as the Henderson Silver Knights (American Hockey League) and the Vegas Knight Hawks (Indoor Football League).

The Dollar Loan Center is about a 15-minute drive away from UNLV’s home arena, the Thomas & Mack Center, but the game is still considered “neutral.” While the Warriors have last season’s two games of experience at the Dollar Loan Center, this is the Rebels’ first appearance there.

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