Members of the Hawaii basketball team will be familiar faces to Grand Canyon fans.
Collectively known as “Havocs,” GCU fans will scour social media for opponents at their selfie worst, enlarge the photos and wave them during home games in Global Credit Union Arena.
The Havocs will list notes on each visiting player, then circulate the info to … everyone.
The 7,000-plus fans will turn a game into a 40-minute roast with choreographed cheers and jokes.
“They have a really good fan base,” said UH center Tanner Christensen, who played on GCU’s home court when he was with Utah Tech the previous two seasons. “It’s a really fun environment to play in.”
“Fun crowd, great environment,” said UH assistant coach Gibson Johnson, who was on Utah Tech’s staff for two seasons. “I’m excited for our players if they attack it with the right mentality.”
The Rainbow Warriors’ first road trip is unique. After today’s nonconference game against GCU in Phoenix, the ’Bows open Big West play against Long Beach State on Saturday. After that, the ’Bows’ next league game is Jan. 2 against UC Santa Barbara. Both GCU and LBSU played in the 2024 NCAA Tournament.
“This is a really difficult challenge,” UH coach Eran Ganot said, “but we’re really looking forward to it.”
Led by guards Ray Harrison and Tyon Grant-Foster, the high-tempo Antelopes average 15.9 seconds per possession.
“It’ll be a great challenge for us to try to stop their transition and keep them in front,” Johnson said. “They play a lot of one-on-one, but they’re very good at it. They have skilled, talented guards. And some tough bigs.”
Last season, 6-foot-7 Grant-Foster averaged 20.1 points per game en route to being named the Western Athletic Conference’s Player of the Year. He turned down an opportunity to apply for the NBA Draft to return to the Antelopes as a graduate student. This season, NBA scouts’ interest has been rekindled because of Grant-Foster’s creative scoring (16.3 points per game), length and athleticism.
Harrison, the starting point guard, is skilled at getting to the line, where he has hit 29 of 32 free throws (90.6%).
TCU transfer JaKobe Coles leads the Antelopes in scoring (17.8 points per game) on 59.4% shooting, including 68.8% success on 2-point shots.
Lok Wur, a 6-9 post, twice turned down offers from UH. Wur started the first four games, holding the spot until 6-10 Duke Brennan recovered from an injury to his left arm. Brennan, who is averaging 13.5 points and 7.5 rebounds, is cousin to Arizona football coach Brent Brennan, and was second cousin to the late UH quarterback Colt Brennan.
In last week’s comeback victory over Hawaii Pacific, UH guard Kody Williams hit seven 3s and finished with a career-high 24 points. But Christensen has been the most consistent ’Bow as a low-post scorer, rim protector and screen setter. HPU doubled the post to try to limit Christensen.
“Tanner is used to being double-teamed,” Johnson said of Christensen’s ability to still hunt rebounds in a congested post. “We expect them to come with some pressure on him. Tanner has shown he can play however people want to guard him.”
Christensen said: “That’s just basketball. It’s a game of adjustments, being able to be adaptable. We have to make the right changes and adjust.”
NCAA MEN’S BASKETBALL
At Global Credit Union Arena in Phoenix
Hawaii (5-1) vs. Grand Canyon (4-2)
>> When: 4 p.m.
>> TV: None
>> Radio: 1420-AM; 92.7-FM
>> Streaming: ESPN+
