If some players on the University of Hawaii men’s basketball team are walking around Southern California in street clothes looking a tad disheveled, there is a reason for that. The Rainbow Warriors have been away from the islands since Feb. 28.
“Some of us didn’t pack enough for the trip,” all-Big West guard Noah Allen told the media with a smile. “That’s something we’ve had to adjust to. But we’re just blessed to have the opportunity, and we want to go out and perform.”
Hawaii vows to be recharged Thursday for its second meeting against Long Beach State in six days, this time in the quarterfinals of the Big West Tournament at the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif. Tipoff is at 6:30 p.m. HST on Fox Sports Prime Ticket.
The Rainbow Warriors (14-15) remained in the area after Saturday’s 84-75 loss the 49ers (14-18), who finished a game better than UH in the Big West to earn the No. 4 seed.
“I expect us to bounce back,” Hawaii coach Eran Ganot said. “I expect them to play better, too. Everyone is going to step it up, and that is what makes this great.
“Looking forward to the challenge. It’s what you live for.”
The NCAA’s decision, announced last Friday, to lift the Rainbow Warriors’ postseason ban gave them new life, and they’ll need to win three times in three days to get back the NCAA tournament for the second year in a row.
“You can see the smiles on players faces when the talk about (last year),” junior forward Gibson Johnson said.
Tournament time is when some teams look for a star to carry them, and this could be Allen’s cue.
The senior guard averaged 18.3 this season in league games, and he played well as UH split the season series against Long Beach. Allen, Jack Purchase and Leland Green each scored 25 points Jan. 14 as Hawaii shot 53.7 percent in a 114-107 overtime win in Honolulu. Last Saturday, Allen scored 21 points, but the 49ers dominated the point, outscoring UH 44-18.
The preseason favorite to win the Big West, Long Beach led the conference in scoring offense (79.2 points) and field-goal percentage (.463). Junior guard Justin Bibbins and sophomore forward Temidayo Yussuf were second-team all-Big West selections.
The 6-foot-7 Yussuf was a nuisance last Saturday, scoring 23 points in 22 minutes on 9-of-9 shooting from the floor.
“We have a pretty good feeling for them,” Hawaii guard Sheriff Drammeh said. “We have the mentality that we play every game as our last.”
Wahine fall
The UH women will miss the postseason for the first time in five seasons after losing 71-64 to Cal State Northridge in the quarterfinals of the Big West tournament in Long Beach.
Guard Briana Harris scored 11 points and guard Sarah Toeaina added 10, but the Wahine (12-18) were outrebounded 52-33, shot only 38 percent and couldn’t match center Channon Fluker.
The Big West Player of the Year finished with 39 points and 12 rebounds for the third-seeded Matadors (18-13).