UH opponent roundup so far
While everyone still awaits word on the severity of Negus Webster-Chan‘s ankle sprain — he was to get an X-Ray on Monday — here’s a roundup of how Hawaii’s opponents have fared through the first 10 games (roughly a third) of the season.
The team had Monday off from practice and will resume Tuesday. Head coach Benjy Taylor gets back from a mainland recruiting jaunt on Wednesday.
RPIs and strengths of schedule are per RealTimeRPI.com going into Monday.
Hawaii rates 207 out of 351 Division I teams in RPI and 285 in strength of schedule. Among nine Big West Conference teams, UH is fifth in RPI and seventh in SoS.
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ARKANSAS-PINE BLUFF
Record: 1-7
RPI: 250. SoS: 109.
UH result: 85-57 W
Summary: The Golden Lions beat Cal State Bakersfield in the Rainbow Classic for their only win to this point. They’ve played a typically brutal SWAC schedule, full of “guarantee” road games during the nonconference season. Their struggles to this point aren’t much of a surprise.
CAL STATE BAKERSFIELD
Record: 1-7
RPI: 347. SoS: 333.
UH result: 72-65 W
Summary: Even with a talented big man in Aly Ahmed, it’s been brutal sledding for the Roadrunners, starting with their quadruple-overtime loss to High Point to kick off the season in the Rainbow Classic. Their lone win came against Delaware (which also recently lost to UH opponent Delaware State). Perusing the new-look WAC is downright depressing.
HIGH POINT
Record: 6-2
RPI: 147. SoS: 301.
UH result: 62-54 L
Summary: “The other HPU” has built on its Rainbow Classic championship and defeat of UH in the midnight game to show fairly well thus far. Its two losses are respectable, at Richmond and at Clemson. But the Panthers’ play at No. 12 Ohio State on Wednesday. Regardless of whatever happens there, HPU looks like one of the contenders for the Big South crown.
HAWAII HILO
Record: 4-4 (4-5 with UH game)
RPI/SoS: N/A.
UH result: 89-71 W
Summary: Coach GE Coleman brought in an absolute stud in forward Tre Johnson, which helped keep the contest against Manoa competitive for a while. The UH game counted on Manoa’s record, but not for Hilo’s. The Vulcans are off to an 0-2 start in PacWest play, with losses to Chaminade and HPU.
PITTSBURGH
Record: 5-3
RPI: 124. SoS: 67.
UH result: 74-70 W
Summary: This could be the feather in Taylor’s cap for quite a while, and a bitterly disappointing memory for Pitt coach Jamie Dixon — so far, it’s UH’s only win over a team with a winning record. But after Pitt got hammered by San Diego State in the Maui Invitational semis, the Panthers came back to claim third there with a rousing win over Kansas State. Pitt isn’t what many thought it would be with Durand Johnson suspended for the season and Cameron Wright just coming back from injury. It could be a challenging season for Dixon’s group in the powerful ACC.
SAN FRANCISCO
Record: 5-3
RPI: 127. SoS: 135.
UH result: 88-73 L
Summary: The West Coast Conference doesn’t mess around. UH hung in there for a while in its opener in the Gulf Coast Showcase, but a minus-20 differential on the glass was the key in defeat. This was probably the first time the Rainbow Warriors’ depth problems up front cost them. USF went on to lose to Florida Gulf Coast and Evansville in the winners’ bracket; UH losing in the first round might have been something of a blessing, as they emerged with a 2-1 record against weaker competition.
MARIST
Record: 1-7
RPI: 321. SoS: 230.
UH result: 62-55 W
Summary: The Red Foxes of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference were decimated by injuries when they faced UH, but nearly came all the way back from a 21-point deficit. UH held on and avoided a loss to a team that is statistically one of the worst in the country. Marist is already 0-2 in MAAC play.
EAST CAROLINA
Record: 4-5
RPI: 330. SoS: 316.
UH result: 75-73 W
Summary: This was an important win for the ‘Bows, even if ECU is only 2-5 against Division I opponents so far and is the only team in the American Athletic Conference with a losing record. For one thing, the Pirates were playing in their own time zone. Things will probably get better for ECU, which is coming off a 44-point drubbing at the hands of North Carolina.
DELAWARE STATE
Record: 4-4
RPI: 166. SoS: 235.
UH result: 75-60 W
Summary: The Hornets have performed better overall than what they showed in Honolulu last week. Their win over Wake Forest (granted, which sits at the bottom of the ACC) was important, but they had the ill fortune of arriving in Honolulu a day late because of flight trouble. Center Kendall Gray is among the national leaders in rebounds and blocks, and UH should be commended for keeping him in check in the second half.
BYU
Record: 7-3
RPI: 51. SoS: 44.
UH result: 90-70 L
Summary: Defeating the Cougars in Salt Lake City is a tall task, so there’s no shame that UH went down big in that one. UH had its chances, and losing Webster-Chan pregame hurt. Getting past Gonzaga in the WCC will be difficult like always, but BYU, along with Saint Mary’s, is a very capable second-tier team that could give anyone problems on a given night. Tyler Haws came to play against UH and Kyle Collinsworth went triple-double for the third time ever for a UH opponent. This was the best team UH faced thus far, and might face all season.
Games to come: Chaminade, Nebraska + two more DHC games, Southern, Prairie View A&M, Big West slate.
GO BOWS! Head Coach Ben Taylor you’re doing a super great job with the team you have right now!. You’re players are doing great job on the court too!. I really respect you what you are doing too!. I really hate what’s the NCAA doing to the University of Hawaii basketball program. I still don’t understand why do they start making trouble to the program!. But others big University athletic program they do or have been doing the same things like Hawaii!. And they let them go without no violation or suspension?. Because they are making more money for there school and conference or paying under the table to the chairman of the NCAA?. I wonder wherever do the NCAA Chairman of board get paid and where they get it from? It’s not only me but the people that go to the other small or large University around the country of our United States of America?.
This schedule is pathetic. UH needs to upgrade the opponents next year for the players and the fans. The players that have been recruited deserve to be challenged because they really can compete at a higher level. I’m also starting to believe in Benji. If the team continues to show growth he needs to be given a chance. He cares about this team and this program and he’s willing to make some tough decisions if that’s what it takes to get things done. If he can recruit a big man or two then he’s our guy.
If they(powers up campus) ever offer Benjy the job fulltime, be sure to put him on a 2 yr. short leash and see whether or not he can recruit Div 1 players.
Summary is they beat those teams they should beat with Pitt being a bonus. The schedule is what it is. Just have to play ‘um.
Thanks for the wrap up Brian…nice way to put the season in perspective thus far. Agree with the others they need to upgrade their non-conference schedule, but understand it’s not an easy thing to do. Every time you beat a team from a major conference (i.e., Pitt, Indiana, Michigan St.) that’s less incentive for another school to play you on your home court.