Gib Arnold might feel quite at home in the University of Hawaii basketball team’s first true road game of the season.
The Rainbow Warriors head coach occupied a spot on the home sideline at Pepperdine’s Firestone Fieldhouse for four years as an assistant on the Waves staff.
He returns for the first time in a competitive capacity today when the Rainbow Warriors visit Malibu, Calif., to begin a two-game road trip.
"It’s a place I have great memories from; I enjoyed my time at Pepperdine immensely," Arnold said. "I was there for four years and we had four great teams. A lot of good years, a lot of wins and fun games and I kind of grew up in Division I there.
"I’m excited to bring my Hawaii team back, I’m proud of this group. It’ll be fun to see old friends, but I’m more excited to represent Hawaii."
Arnold’s time with the Waves (1999-2003) included working with UH associate coach Benjy Taylor for one season and introduced him to recruiting in Southern California. He’s continued mining the area for prospects, and today’s game, set for 5 p.m. Hawaii time, also represents a homecoming for UH’s contingent from the region.
"It means a lot because I haven’t seen my family in a long time," said sophomore guard Bobby Miles, who will have a group of family and friends make the 30-minute drive from Los Angeles. "But I still have to take care of business while I’m out there."
Collectively, the Rainbows’ task today includes tightening their perimeter defense against a Pepperdine team that starts three guards and gets solid production inside, as well.
Arnold said defending against penetration was an emphasis following a loss to Eastern Washington and a dramatic win over Pacific last week.
"Those teams drove it into the paint against us and (Pepperdine has) two guys who do the same thing," Arnold said. "The first thing starts with on-ball defense, we have to do a really good job against this team.
"It’s an athletic team, and it’s a team that has a good inside-outside game."
Pepperdine’s Joshua Lowery, a 6-foot-3 junior, helps run a balanced Waves offense with 25 assists while ranking second in scoring at 8.8 points per game. Senior forward Taylor Darby (6-8) is the only Pepperdine player averaging double-figure scoring at 11.3 points per game.
Pepperdine (3-3), under first-year head coach Marty Wilson, scored a road win over Arizona State on Nov. 15 but is coming off a 62-39 loss at UCLA on Monday.
UH (2-2) had a week to prepare for the Waves after a 75-70 win over Pacific on Nov. 25. Sophomore guard Garrett Jefferson, who grew up about an hour away in Lakewood, Calif., scored his first Division I bucket in the final seconds to give the Rainbows the win and some momentum heading on the road.
"It helped my confidence a little bit," Jefferson said. "I’m getting more comfortable every game."
UH’s previous road trip this season was a neutral-court game against Gonzaga, making today’s meeting the first on an opponent’s home floor.
"We say boys can win at home, but it takes men to win on the road," Arnold said. "The earlier we can figure out how to win on the road and get that mental and physical toughness it takes to win on the road, the better we’ll be."
The Rainbows departed on the trip Friday morning and practiced at a high school in Los Angeles with Firestone Fieldhouse hosting an NCAA volleyball tournament match. Pepperdine swept North Carolina to earn a trip to Honolulu for next week’s regional at the Stan Sheriff Center.
