Gameday: UC Santa Barbara

Hawaii sported Darth Vader-esque warmup jerseys to play UC Santa Barbara on the latest Star Wars night.

Everyone still alive out there?

The stakes were very high this morning for the now infamous false alarm on the ballistic missile threat to Hawaii. Well, that kind of puts tonight’s Big West matchup with UC Santa Barbara in a bit of a different light. The stakes are high in the Big West, but, well, you know what I mean.

It’s Star Wars night, the longest-running theme night UH has.

UH (11-5, 2-1 Big West) is coming off its two best defensive performances of the season, holding Cal State Northridge and Cal Poly under 50 points and to a combined 33 percent shooting in the last two games.

But UCSB (12-4, 1-1) may be the best offensive team UH has seen all season, including Nevada and Miami. They lead the league in a ton of meaningful offensive categories.


The Gauchos, under first-year coach Joe Pasternack, rely on their starters heavily. They look to shoot either very early or very late in the clock, depending if they get a quality look or not after pushing the pace. They also have a number of sets they run effectively. At the other end, they’re going to play exclusively man defense.


For UH, Mike Thomas has been a machine, shooting 21-for-24 in Big West play.

UH is actually favored by three in this one. Should be interesting.

COMMENTS

  1. H-Man January 13, 2018 8:17 pm

    Star Wars Bows looking good.


  2. Kahuna January 13, 2018 9:06 pm

    That is some awesome looking Under Armour warm up shirts. UA is taking care of our players with some nice threads.

    Don’t want to hear anymore complaints about how Under Armour stuff is “junk”. I would bet my house the players love their UA attires.

    Go Bows….Go UA!


  3. cappie the dog January 13, 2018 11:50 pm

    As soon as Brocke left the game, the Gauchos went on a run.

    Brocke is the man.

    A good point guard makes mediocre players look better.

    Raimo was on the receiving end of a great feed by Stepteau.


  4. HawaiiMongoose January 14, 2018 10:34 am

    I agree that Brocke is the man. And that’s why the dislocated finger on Brocke’s shooting hand concerns me. He said during the postgame press conference that after the initial injury the finger kept popping out of place (he mentioned four times). I hope that doesn’t mean he’s going to need surgery to fully repair the joint; if it does the recovery period will be four to six weeks, leaving UH without its offensive glue and best three-point shooter for the rest of the conference season.


  5. Kahuna January 14, 2018 4:43 pm

    Yes…I like Brocke and all but you guys need to be fair and not make like he the only reason UH won. I have always thought Buggs have better pg skills. Brocke is definitely more mature and experienced…..hence his production but he is not the only one producing.

    Sure UH lost the big lead while he was injured but UH also almost lost the lead in the waning minutes of the game when he was in too so you cannot just be heaping praise for the thing he have done but forget the mistakes he made later in the game.

    Plenty of Brocke Stepteau nut huggers on the TV side but that is ok. He makes for a very inspiring story and seems to be a terrific young man.


  6. cappie the dog January 15, 2018 5:18 am

    I think the better argument is that Hawaii looks better when Brocke and Buggs are on the court at the same time.

    Leland Green is a strange guard.

    At times, he struggles with dribbling.


  7. cappie the dog January 15, 2018 5:31 am

    1.

    1977 called, its “Star Wars” fans want their religion, I mean, film, back.

    Pretty girls don’t love “Star Wars” the right way.


  8. HawaiiMongoose January 17, 2018 6:54 am

    So now it’s reported that Brocke has a fracture in his shooting hand. Recovery time is yet to be determined.

    Frak.


  9. cappie the dog January 18, 2018 8:04 pm

    8.

    I am sad.


  10. cappie the dog January 19, 2018 1:30 pm

    Megan Huff: 16 points, 14 rebounds.

    Utah gets their quality win over #22 Arizona State.

    Not to belabor a point, but my cousin and I couldn’t understand why she was backing up Kalei Adolpho.

    I think she was afraid of backing up Adreinne Dardenne.

    Poor Dardenne, having to live in Elena Della-Donne’s shadow at Delaware.

    Talk about pressure.

    I think she quit basketball.


  11. cappie the dog January 19, 2018 1:34 pm

    The news cycle has been a great source of pain for me these past twelve months.

    Hawaii basketball, both programs, is supposed to provide a diversion from the real world.

    I hope Coach Beeman solves whatever is ailing this team.

    She has one talented player, two functional ones, and the rest, well, I hope the staff can coach ’em up.

    I think a healthy Courtney Middap could help.


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