The Hawaii basketball team has endured several challenges this year.
Tonight, the Rainbow Warriors face a 40-minute, 94-foot obstacle course when they play host to Portland State in the Stan Sheriff Center. Tip-off is at 7:05 p.m.
Under third-year head coach Barret Peery, the Vikings are noted for a fullcourt press that has been dubbed “Peery pressure.”
“They’re frantic defensively,” said Chris Gerlufsen, UH’s acting head coach. “They try to pressure you for a full 40 minutes and 94 feet. They’re going to run multiple guys at the ball.”
The Vikings finished the 2018-19 season No. 1 nationally with a plus-5.4 turnover margin per game. That led to the Vikings launching 361 more field-goal attempts and 199 more free throws than their opponents. This season, their turnover margin is plus-eight.
“We need to take care of the ball,” Gerlufsen said. “I think if you can get through the first layer of their defense, you can get some nice open looks. It’s whether you can handle the pressure.”
In the past game’s victory over Pacific, point guard Drew Buggs struggled early, missing his first seven shots. He adjusted his game, helping to fuel the comeback.
“Drew’s a gamer,” Gerlufsen said. “The way I roll, while I have a chance to do this, I’m never going to take confidence from guys. I’m going to try to lift them up, and try to put as much confidence as I can into them. Telling a guy not to shoot, I don’t believe in that. I’ve seen Drew in the gym. I’ve worked with him. I’ve seen what he can do with the ball. When he hits a rough patch, it would be wrong of me to discourage him from being aggressive and being a player.”
Buggs was part of a highlight-worthy sequence against Pacific. Mate Colina, a 7-foot post, made a diving swipe to knock the dribble free from Pacific’s point guard. As the ball rolled toward the Tigers’ baseline, Buggs chased it down, grabbed it while managing not to have his legs touch either the end line or out of bounds, and called a crucial timeout.
“I don’t think if he did that dive a hundred times in a row he could not hit his leg on the end line,” Gerlufsen said. “It was amazing. It was like a ‘Matrix’ move. It was pretty special to see and go back and watch. That was a heck of a basketball play.”
Gerlufsen said the ’Bows will need those hustle plays, particularly against an offense directed by PSU point guard Holland “Boo Boo” Woods. Woods averages 19.5 points, 4.0 assists and 2.5 steals per game. He scored 27 in a road loss against Indiana. Woods wears No. 11 in tribute to former teammate Deante Strickland, who died in August.
“Offensively speaking, they try to play fast and break you down off the dribble,” Gerlufsen said.
Against Pacific, the ’Bows received a boost from Colina, who did not play a night earlier. Colina forced stops on the high screen, then sprinted low to defend the post.
There also is a possibility that freshman Justin Webster, who missed the first three games, will be available. Webster, at 6 feet 3, can play both guard positions and the wing.
“It would be nice for him to get some minutes before we head to Illinois,” Gerlufsen said, referencing Monday’s road game. “That would be a tough environment to throw him into for his first college experience. The goal is to get him to play some minutes on Friday.”
UH BASKETBALL
At Stan Sheriff Center
Portland State (1-1) vs. Hawaii (2-1)
>> When: Today, 7:05 p.m.
>> TV: Spectrum Sports
>> Radio: 1420-AM / 92.7 FM
