Hawaii Rainbow Warriors
Record: 27-5 (13-3 Big West)
Head Coach: Eran Ganot (1st season)
Season Recap: Hawaii is headed to the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2002 after beating Long Beach State in the final of the Big West conference tournament. Prior to the tournament berth-clinching victory, the Rainbow Warriors had dropped their first two meetings against the 49ers in conference play. Hawaii is led by Big West Player of the Year Stefan Jankovic, who averaged 15.7 points and 6.6 rebounds per game. At 6-foot-11, the Ontario, Canada, native is capable of scoring in the paint and stretching the floor—the big man shoots nearly 40 percent from deep. The Rainbow Warriors performed well in games against tournament-bound opponents this season, defeating Northern Iowa and falling by single-digits against Oklahoma and Texas Tech.
How they make a run: Jankovic stretches the floor against an undersized opponent and experienced guards Aaron Valdes and Roderick Bobbitt make enough plays down the stretch to pull off an upset.
How they falter: Hawaii struggles to shoot from beyond the arc and match up against a team that is big enough to keep up with Jankovic down low.
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