HONOLULU— The University of Hawai'i men's basketball team (6-3) plays host to the 2022 Hawaiian Airlines Diamond Head Classic, Dec. 22, 23 & 25 at the SimpliFi Arena at Stan Sheriff Center. The Rainbow Warriors will face Pepperdine in the opening round in a field that also includes George Washington, Iona, Seattle, SMU, Utah State and Washington State.

The Rainbow Warriors and Waves (6-5) will face off in the final game of the opening day of the tournament on Thursday, Dec. 22 at 6:00 p.m. It will be the 15th all-time meeting between the teams and the first in 10 years. 

For those attending games this week, please be sure to visit the Game Day information page, which includes important information on, digital ticketing, parking, clear bag policy, and more.
  

GAME 10: Hawai'i (6-3) vs. Pepperdine (6-5)
Opp. | Date | Time				Pepperdine  |  Thursday Dec. 22  | 6 p.m. HT
Location				Honolulu, O'ahu  - SimpliFi Arena at Stan Sheriff Center
Television				ESPN2
Live Stream				ESPN.com
Radio				ESPN Honolulu / Sideline Hawaii App
Live Stats				StatBroadcast.com
Game Notes				Hawai'i | Pepperdine
Social Media				@HawaiiMBB  | #HawaiiMBB | @HawaiiBasketball  | Facebook
Tickets				ETicketHawaii.com
Tournament Info				Website | Bracket | Record Book

  HEAD COACH ERAN GANOTOverall record: 120-80 (9th season)
At Hawai'i: 123-82 (8th season)

ALL-TIME RECORD vs. PEPPERDINEOverall: Tied, 7-7
In Honolulu: UH leads, 5-3
Last meeting: Dec. 8, 2012 - PU, 63-56

ALL-TIME RECORD IN THE DIAMOND HEAD CLASSICOverall: 14-18 (3 wins vacated)
Best Finish: 3rd Place (2014, '15)
GAME STORY LINES

• The 'Bows and Waves will meet for the 15th time and for the first time since 2012.
• Pepperdine has won the previous two meetings, including a 63-56 win in Honolulu on Dec. 8, 2012.
• UH comes into the game off a 10-day interval from competition.
• The 'Bows were last in action on Dec. 11 when they exploded for 53 second-half points for their most lopsided victory of the season - a 90-66 win over Saint Francis (Pa.).  
• UH is looking to end a school-long four-game skid in the Diamond Head Classic. Their last win in the DHC was versus UTEP (67-63) in the 2019 opening round.
• UH ranks 22nd nationally in scoring defense (57.3), 21st in 3-point field goal percentage defense (.248) and 31st in fewest turnovers committed (11.0).
• Kamaka Hepa is averaging 22.5 points and 10.0 rebounds in the last two contests, highlighted by a 30-point, 14 rebound performance in UH's win over Saint Francis.    
• Following the Diamond Head Classic, UH will open Big West play on Dec. 29 at home against UC Davis. 

TOURNAMENT NOTES

• Four teams will be making their first appearance in the HADHC - Iona, Pepperdine, Seattle and Utah State.
• Among the return teams is George Washington, which claimed the 2014 title with an upset of nationally ranked Wichita State.
• This will be the second appearance for SMU which finished eighth in the inaugural tournament in 2009.
• Washington State makes its third trip to the tournament. Led by Klay Thompson, the Cougars advanced to the finals of the 2010 tournament before falling to a Butler squad that later made it to the NCAA title game.
• Iona head coach Rick Pitino makes his first trip back to Manoa after starting his collegiate coaching career as a UH assistant and serving as the team interim head coach for the final six games of the 1975-76 season.
• UH head coach Eran Ganot has been a part of seven of the previous 12 DHC tournaments - five as a UH head coach, and once each as a UH and Saint Mary's assistant.
• Ganot and Washington State coach Kyle Smith both served on the same Saint Mary's staff from 2003-06 with Smith an assistant coach and Ganot a volunteer assistant under Randy Bennett.