Hawaii vs UCSB Game Preview, by gauchodan

Game 31 (BW Game 20)
Hawai'i at UCSB
Saturday, March 4, 2023, 6:00 pm PST
Santa Barbara, Calif.
 
Quick Bite
The Gauchos (23-7, 14-5) are playing for a lot on Senior night.  A win ensures UCSB of at least a share of the Big West regular-season title and at least the #2 seed for the Big West Tournament.  If UC Irvine also loses to lowly CSU Bakersfield, the Gauchos will be the #1 seed and guaranteed a consolation prize of an NIT bid if they were to subsequently fall short in Henderson.  One thing I can guarantee: this game will be close.  UCSB thrives in games that go down to the wire.  Thinking back, I believe the only game we really lost where the game was a 50-50 tossup with a minute to go was CSUN.  Go figure.

The Rainbow Warriors (22-9, 13-6) also have a lot to play for.  Hawai'i can finish as high as 2nd with a win and as low as 5th with a loss.  JoVon McCLanahan is on a bit of a roll.  He has 16 assists vs. just 2 turnovers in his last 3 games.  Mor Seck has started the last 2 games and posted double doubles in both contests.  The 'Bows have won their last 4 on the road, the 2nd-longest away win streak in their history.

Last meeting
Jan. 26: UC Santa Barbara 65, Hawai'i 64
HONOLULU -- Ajay Mitchell made a driving bank shot with 1.9 seconds left to lift the Gauchos (17-3, 9-1) over the Rainbow Warriors (15-6, 6-3).  Mitchell scored 24 points as UCSB improved to 4-3 in its last 7 games to the Islands.  UCSB led by as many as 13 points but Hawai'i rallied with a 9-0 run to take a 1-point lead.  

UCSB's last game
March 2: UC Santa Barbara 89, UC Davis 86
DAVIS, Calif. -- Ajay Mitchell scored all 20 of his points in the 2nd half to carry the Gauchos (23-7, 14-5) past the Aggies (17-13, 10-8). Mitchell was 6-of-9 from the field in the 2nd half, making all 8 of his free throw attempts.  Josh Pierre-Louis added 17 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists.  UCSB was 16-of-16 from the free throw line in the 2nd half.  Elijah Pepper scored 30 points for UC Davis.

UH's last game
March 2: Hawai'i 81, CSUN 55
NORTHRIDGE, Calif. -- JoVon McClanahan scored 18 points and Kamaka Hepa added 17 and the Rainbow Warriors (22-9, 13-6) ran away from a halftime tie to blow out the Matadors (7-24, 4-16).  Hawai'i outscored CSUN 48-22 in the 2nd half, outshooting the Matadors 50% to 28% and landing 7-of-15 three pointers.  Hepa and Mor Seck each recorded double doubles for the 'Bows.  Atin Wright came off the bench to score 26 points for the Matadors.

The Arena
The Thunderdome
Capacity: 5,000
The game is a WHITE OUT, so we need everyone to wear wear and come support the Gauchos! We need an electric home court advantage to help us pull out a victory! We will  be honoring our five seniors prior to the game! Tickets are still available if you don’t have yours already. Hope to see everyone there!




Hawai'i Roster
Noel Coleman #4 JR G, 6-1 175, Leopoldsburg, Belgium -- 12.1 Pts, 2.9 Reb, 1.7 Ast
Kamaka Hepa #44 SR F, 6-9 220, Utqiagvik, AK -- 11.8 Pts, 6.5 Reb, 1.5 Ast
JoVon McClanahan #3 JR G, 5-11 170, Vallejo, CA -- 11.3 Pts, 3.3 Reb, 3.4 Ast
Samuta Avea #32 SR G, 6-6 195, Hauula, HI Bingham High School -- 10.0 Pts, 4.6 Reb, 1.0 Ast
Bernardo da Silva #5 JR F, 6-9 200, Rio Das Ostras, Brazil -- 9.8 Pts, 6.8 Reb, 1.0 Ast
Beon Riley #10 SO G, 6-6 225, Chula Vista, CA -- 4.9 Pts, 3.8 Reb, 1.0 Ast
Justus Jackson #2 SO G, 6-1 170, Surprise, AZ -- 3.2 Pts, 1.1 Reb, 0.9 Ast
Harry Rouhliadeff #14 FR F, 6-9 220, Brisbane, Australia -- 3.4 Pts, 1.2 Reb, 0.4 Ast
Mor Seck #23 FR C, 7-1 230, Ngayene Daour, Senegal -- 2.4 Pts, 2.5 Reb, 0.0 Ast
Kody Williams #0 FR G, 6-0 190, Minnetonka, MN -- 0.7 Pts, 0.3 Reb, 0.3 Ast
Amoro Lado #1 JR G, 6-2 180, Nampa, ID -- 0.8 Pts, 0.4 Reb, 0.2 Ast
Zoar Nedd #20 JR F, 6-7 210, Kapolei, HI -- 0.6 Pts, 0.6 Reb, 0.3 Ast
Ryan Rapp #22 JR G, 6-5 189, Melbourne, Australia -- 0.7 Pts, 0.3 Reb, 0.0 Ast
Matija Svetozarevic #13 SO G, 6-8 215, Prokopovic, Serbia -- 0.3 Pts, 0.3 Reb, 0.0 Ast

UCSB Roster
Ajay Mitchell #13 SO G, 6-4 180, Sainte Marie Namur (Belgium) -- 15.9 Pts, 2.6 Reb, 4.9 Ast
Miles Norris #5 SR F, 6-10 220, San Diego, CA -- 14.1 Pts, 6.3 Reb, 1.3 Ast
Andre Kelly #2 SR F, 6-8 255, Stockton, CA -- 9.6 Pts, 6.4 Reb, 0.9 Ast
Josh Pierre-Louis #1 SR G, 6-4 185, Plainfield, NJ -- 9.7 Pts, 4.2 Reb, 2.4 Ast
Cole Anderson #4 SO G, 6-4 185, Fresno, CA -- 7.3 Pts, 1.2 Reb, 0.6 Ast
Calvin Wishart #10 SR G, 6-1 180, Delano, MN -- 6.8 Pts, 2.7 Reb, 2.9 Ast
Ajare Sanni #3 SR G, 6-3 170, Houston, TX -- 6.5 Pts, 2.0 Reb, 1.0 Ast
Koat Keat Tong #00 FR F, 6-9 215, Bentiu, South Sudan -- 1.9 Pts, 3.9 Reb, 0.3 Ast
Jakov Kukic #14 JR F, 6-10 230, Split, Croatia -- 2.3 Pts, 2.1 Reb, 0.2 Ast
Matija Belic #32 FR G, 6-7 205, Belgrade, Serbia -- 1.0 Pts, 0.9 Reb, 0.2 Ast
Evans Kipruto #12 JR F, 6-8 250, Nairobi, Kenya -- 0.8 Pts, 0.9 Reb, 0.1 Ast
David Pickles #40 SO F, 6-10 235, Seattle, WA -- 1.5 Pts, 0.5 Reb, 0.0 Ast
Gage Gomez #50 JR G, 6-3 190, Arroyo Grande, CA -- 0.3 Pts, 0.3 Reb, 0.3 Ast
Ariel Bland #23 SO F, 6-7 215, Eden Prairie, MN -- 0.0 Pts, 1.5 Reb, 0.0 Ast
Henry Hartwell #51 FR G, 6-5 180, Oceanside, CA -- 0.0 Pts, 0.5 Reb, 0.0 Ast
Max Sheldon #53 SO G, 5-11 180, Santa Barbara, CA -- 0.0 Pts, 0.0 Reb, 0.0 Ast
 
Hawai'i National Ranking Outliers
Team

• Assists per game: 317 (11.1)
• Bench points per game: 336 (12.13)
• Field Goal percentage Defense: 18 (.402)
• Free Throw percentage: 46 (.750)
• Scoring Defense: 12 (61.2)
• Scoring Offense: 286 (67.3)
• Steals per game: 333 (4.7)
• Three-Point percentage Defense: 7 (.289)
• Turnovers Forced per game: 292 (11.19)
• Winning percentage: 55 (.710)

Players

• JoVon McClanahan -- Assist/Turnover ratio: 105 (1.96), Assists: 201 (106), Assists per game: 244 (3.4), Free Throw Attempts: 196 (129), Free Throw percentage: 157 (.814), Free Throws: 152 (105)
• Bernardo da Silva -- Blocks: 160 (32), Blocks per game: 162 (1.10), Double Doubles: 263 (3), Rebounds: 199 (197), Rebounds (Defensive) per game: 171 (4.93), Rebounds (Offensive) per game: 339 (1.86), Rebounds per game: 193 (6.8)
• Kamaka Hepa -- Blocks: 262 (26), Blocks per game: 299 (0.84), Double Doubles: 150 (5), Minutes per game: 312 (32:22), Rebounds: 186 (202), Rebounds (Defensive) per game: 126 (5.29), Rebounds per game: 223 (6.5), Three Point Attempts: 254 (163), Three Pointers per game: 247 (2.06), Three Pointers: 204 (64)
• Mor Seck -- Blocks per game: 316 (0.81), Double Doubles: 392 (2)
• Samuta Avea -- Double Doubles: 263 (3)
• Noel Coleman -- Free Throw percentage: 51 (.863), Free Throws: 288 (88), Minutes per game: 126 (34:15), Three Point Attempts: 294 (157)

UCSB National Ranking Outliers
Team

• Bench Points per game: 289 (15.07)
• Effective FG percentage: 32 (.544)
• Field Goal percentage: 8 (.493)
• Rebounds (Offensive) per game: 290 (8.43)
• Rebounds per game: 295 (32.43)
• Scoring Defense: 57 (65.6)
• Three Point Attempts per game: 341 (15.9)
• Three Pointers per game: 330 (5.5)
• Winning percentage: 27 (.767)

Players

• Ajay Mitchell -- Assist/Turnover ratio: 78 (2.14), Assists: 47 (148), Assists per game: 49 (4.9), Double Doubles: 392 (2), Field Goal Attempts: 332 (328), Field Goal percentage: 109 (.497), Field Goals: 194 (163), Free Throw attempts: 74 (161), Free Throw percentage: 144 (.820), Free Throws: 49 (132), Minutes per game: 230 (33:16), Points: 175 (476), Points per game: 185 (15.9), Steals: 269 (40), Steals per game: 285 (1.33)
• Andre Kelly -- Double Doubles: 118 (6), Rebounds: 265 (185), Rebounds (Defensive) per game: 152 (5.00), Rebounds per game: 242 (6.4)
• Miles Norris -- Blocks: 243 (27), Blocks per game: 260 (0.90), Double Doubles: 263 (3), Field Goal percentage: 108 (.498), Field Goals: 281 (153), Minutes per game: 212 (33:25), Points: 320 (423), Points per game: 341 (14.1), Rebounds: 245 (188), Rebounds (Defensive) per game: 272 (4.50), Rebounds per game: 255 (6.3)
• Josh Pierre-Louis -- Steals per game: 267 (1.37)

Prediction
Each team will suffer through scoring droughts.  Take the under and never bet against the Gauchos in the close ones.  UCSB 65, Hawai'i 62.

Official Site:  https://hawaiiathletics.com/sports/mens-basketball
Hey Guys!:  https://247sports.com/college/hawaii/bo ... na-102452/
How to Watch:  (ESPNU) https://www.espn.com/watch/player/_/id/ ... 1537a8821d
How to Watch:  (ESPN+) https://www.espn.com/watch/player?id=bc ... a98edbd4d3
Live stats:  http://stats.statbroadcast.com/broadcast/?id=428865