HONOLULU — The University of Hawai'i men's basketball team takes on nationally-ranked Saint Mary's in the OUTRIGGER Charity Invitational on Friday, Oct. 20. Tipoff is 7:00 p.m. at SimpliFi Arena at Stan Sheriff Center. Net proceeds from the game will benefit UH faculty, staff and students affected by the Maui wildfires. All tickets for Friday's contest are general admission.

UH is coming off a 22-win season and returns the core of last year's squad that should once again be a contender in the Big West. Saint Mary's is ranked No. 23 in the Associated Press Preseason poll and was recently tabbed as the WCC favorite over Gonzaga in the league's coaches poll. The Gaels return 12 of 14 players from last season's squad that won 27 games and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament. 

GAME DAY PROMOTIONS

• Friday marks a first of its kind for Rainbow Warrior Basketball with the OUTRIGGER Charity Invitational. A special mahalo to OUTRIGGER Resorts for supporting the University of Hawai'i athletic department's effort with the #MauiStrong initiative.  
• The exhibition will feature both support for Maui and fun interactive games for fans to win big prizes, ranging from $5 in value to $300 in value. Marketing tables will be set up throughout the concourse for fans to see the prizes and register for chances to win.
• The night's big prize will be a two-night stay at the OUTRIGGER Waikīkī Beachcomber. Fans can register to compete at halftime for the prize at the marketing table located at Gate A.
• DJ Compose will perform throughout the game to entertain fans and bring excitement throughout the night.
• Fans can claim schedule posters for both the men's and women's basketball teams upon entry to SimpliFi Arena at the Stan Sheriff Center.
• Following the night's action, there will be an autograph session at Gate B for fans to meet their favorite Rainbow Warrior basketball players. 
   

OUTRIGGER Charity Invitational: HAWAI'I vs. SAINT MARY'S
Date | Time				Friday, Oct. 20, 2023  |   7:00 p.m. HT
Location				Honolulu, O'ahu | SimpliFi Arena at Stan Sheriff Center (10,300)
Television				Spectrum Sports
Live Stream				ESPN+ (Blacked Out In Hawaii)
Radio				ESPN Honolulu (1420AM/92.7FM)
Streaming Audio				ESPNHonolulu.com & Sideline Hawaii app
Live Stats				Statbroadcast.com
2022-23 Stats				Hawai'i | Saint Mary's
Tickets				GENERAL ADMISSION | $20 - Adult; $10 - Youth | Purchase Here
Social Media				@HawaiiMBB  | #HawaiiMBB | @HawaiiBasketball  | Facebook

SERIES HISTORY

• While this game will not officially count toward the teams' records, the programs have previously met 12 times in the regular season.
• Saint Mary's leads the series, 7-5, and the teams have split 10 meetings in Honolulu (5-5). 
• The programs last met 10 years ago in the 2013 Hawaiian Airlines Diamond Head Classic with UH picking up a 76-74 win. 

A COACHING BOND

• Saint Mary's head coach Randy Bennett gave Eran Ganot his first collegiate coaching job 20 years ago as a volunteer assistant at Saint Mary's.
• Ganot eventually moved up to become Bennett's associate head coach with the Gaels before Ganot took the helm at Hawai'i in 2015.
• Prior to Friday, the two coaches have not squared off against each other in an exhibition or regular-season game. 

NEWS & NOTES

• The Rainbow Warriors return three starters and nine players from last year's squad that went 22-11 overall for its sixth straight winning season.
• Headlining the returnees is the backcourt of Noel Coleman and JoVon McClanahan.  Coleman was a second-team All-Big West selection in 2021-22, while McClanahan was a second-team pick in 2022-23.
• Also returning is Juan Munoz who has missed each of the last two seasons at UH due to injury. In his last full season in 2020-21, Munoz was an all-conference guard at Longwood University in Virginia.
• Munoz and Seth Towns of Howard are the longest tenured players in the nation — each entering their eighth season of college basketball.
• UH welcomes five newcomers this year — two Division I transfers and three prep players. The Division I transfers include Matthue Cotton (Yale) and Justin McKoy (North Carolina). Tom Beattie (New Zealand) and Akira Jacobs (Japan) are prep players who boast experience with the national programs of their respective countries.
• UH fields one of the most geographically diverse squads in the NCAA with players from nine countries, representing six continents. UH is one of only two schools, along with Portland, that have players from six different continents.
• Eight of UH's 14-man roster have come via the international route. UH's international players come from seven countries —  Australia (2), Belgium, Brazil, Japan, New Zealand, Senegal and Serbia.
• The Rainbow Warriors look to maintain their defensive prowess of 2022-23. Last season, UH ranked among the nation's best in scoring defense (14th), field-goal percentage defense (23rd) and 3-point field-goal percentage defense (10th).
• UH has finished with a winning record in seven of eight seasons under head coach Eran Ganot.
• The Rainbow Warriors have yet to post a losing conference record in 11 seasons of Big West membership.