HONOLULU
— The University of Hawai'i men's basketball team (5-2) travels to the mainland for the first time this season when it takes on undefeated UNLV at the Dollar Loan Center in Henderson, Nev. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. PT/5 p.m. HT.
UH has started the season 5-2 and are coming off 53-51upset loss at home to Texas A&M-Commerce on Nov. 30, a game in which the 'Bows shot just 32 percent. UNLV, meanwhile has started the 2022-23 campaign with a perfect 8-0 record, including a 95-78 win at San Diego on Saturday.
HEAD COACH ERAN GANOTOverall record: 122-81 (9th season)
At Hawai'i: 119-79 (8th season)
ALL-TIME RECORD vs. UNLVOverall: UNLV leads, 24-9
In Honolulu: UNLV, 11-7
In Las Vegas: UNLV, 11-2
Neutral: UNLV, 2-0
Streak: UNLV, 6
'BOW BITS
- UH heads to the mainland for the first time this season when it travels to Henderson, Nev., and the Dollar Loan Center for a neutral site clash with UNLV.
- UNLV has won six straight in the series, including the last meeting which was a 73-59 win in the opening round of the 2018 Hawaiian Airlines Diamond Head Classic.
- The Rebels moved to 8-0 on the season with a 95-78 road win at San Diego on Saturday.
- UH is coming off a 53-51 home loss to Texas A&M-Commerce on Nov. 30 that snapped a three-game win streak.
- After shooting 50 percent in three straight games, UH shot a season-low 32.7 percent against Texas A&M-Commerce.
- UH ranks 13th nationally in scoring defense (57.3) and seventh in three-point field goal percentage defense (.248).
- UNLV leads the nation in turnovers forced (21.9), is seventh in steals (11.5) and ranks 13th in scoring margin (19.8).
- UH ranks 32nd in the NCAA in least turnovers committed per game at 10.9
- UH has lost by a combined six points in their two losses with each of those losses coming down to the final possession of the game.
- UNLV senior guard Justin Webster is a former Rainbow Warrior who was team's leading scorer (12.3 ppg) and a team co-captain in 2020-21.
- Samuta Avea has now hit 32 straight free throws dating back to his junior season. Avea is a perfect 17-of-17 at the line this year and ended his junior campaign in 2020 by hitting his final 15 attempts.
- Avea is just a pair of made free throws away from the UH record for consecutive free throws made which is 34 by Brocke Stepteau set during the 2018-19 season.
- Noel Coleman is leading the team in more than a half dozen categories, including scoring (17.4), assists (3.0), three-point field goals (19), steals (6), and minutes played (33.7).
- Four of UH's five wins have come by double-digits and their average margin of victory has been 16.4 points.
- UH will be back in the Dollar Loan Center in March 2023 for the Big West Tournament.
#HawaiiMBB
