Forget the rematch between Gib Arnold and the UC Santa Barbara student. That’s out.

Hawaii has plenty of other things to be on the lookout for in its ESPNU-televised game at UCSB’s 5,600-seat Thunderdome on Saturday.

Much has changed since a spectator rushed the court and got in Arnold’s face during a 77-66 Gauchos home win on March 6, 2014. The overzealous student was banned from returning to the arena and was suspended for two quarters of school. Arnold was fired as coach on Oct. 28 and filed a union grievance against UH a few days ago. Other key players, like UH forwards Christian Standhardinger and Isaac Fotu, are gone. Even Gauchos center Alan Williams, the 2014 Big West Player of the Year, will not play Saturday while he recovers from a shoulder injury, according to UCSB.

A 3-1 road trip is within the grasp of UH, which beat Cal Poly for the first time in San Luis Obispo, Calif., on Thursday, 59-56. The Rainbows beat the Mustangs at their own grind-it-out game; it was UH’s lowest point total in a win this season.

On Friday, UCSB coach Bob Williams called up a few statistics from the UH win as he mulled over preparation for the Rainbow Warriors. Most notable to him was UH’s 40-8 advantage in points in the paint.

"I mean, that’s physically dominating them," said Williams, the dean of Big West coaches in his 17th season. "So, very impressive showing by Hawaii."

Physical domination is what the 6-foot-8, 265-pound Williams normally brings down low. He’s one of just five players in Big West history to top 1,000 points and 1,000 rebounds in a career, but the Gauchos have missed his 17.1 points and 11.6 rebounds per game for the past two weeks while he’s recovered from a labrum tear. UCSB (10-11, 3-4) is 2-2 without him.

UH coach Benjy Taylor said Friday the coaching staff is approaching the game with dual scouting reports — one if Williams plays and one if he does not.

"At the end of the day, they got a good ballclub," Taylor said after making the drive south to Santa Barbara. "They’ve won without him. They’re good. We’re going to have to play very, very well tomorrow. Their guards are good, their bigs are active and good. They’re very well coached and we can’t take them lightly, and I’m sure they’re not going to take us lightly."

UH is aiming for its first winning streak of the Big West season. The Rainbow Warriors have alternated wins and losses every game so far in 2015.

Taylor gave forward Mike Thomas the start at Cal Poly and the sophomore responded with a career-high 18 points and three blocked shots. Stefan Jankovic shifted to the bench and did not play at all in the second half Thursday while dealing with an illness.

Thomas could stay with the first five going forward, though Jankovic is available.

"I’ve always been a big fan of Mike, and at the end of the day, Mike is 15-6 when he starts," Taylor said. "You know, we’ve been looking at numbers, we’ve been analyzing this thing and Mike started because Mike’s a winner. He does all the dirty work and he can score it. He’s physical. That’s where it’s at."

Besides Williams’ absence, the Gauchos have also been hit hard by the flu bug. Zalmico Harmon, the Big West leader in assist-to-turnover ratio (2.9) among starting point guards, missed the last two games out sick but is expected back.

"When you have one of the better players in the league you want his big rear end on the floor ready to play," Bob Williams said of the player known as "Big Al."

"I mean, he’s a dynamic guy for us and he’s a great teammate. So it’s tough to not have Al there, but it’s like anybody else — you deal with it. It’s part of sport."

Junior guard Michael Bryson, a one-time UH recruit, becomes UCSB’s primary scoring threat (13.0 ppg) with Williams shelved.

Point guard Roderick Bobbitt had one steal at Cal Poly and is nine short of tying the UH single-season steals record of 84 held by Tom Henderson (1972-73). Bobbitt needs one to tie Henderson’s third-place season of 76 from 1973-74.