GEORGE F. LEE / GLEE@STARBULLETIN.COM San Diego's Rob Jones dunked the ball against Hawaii in the season opener at the Stan Sheriff Center last month.

’Bows look forward to playing Toreros

When Hawaii last saw San Diego, the Toreros were celebrating a dramatic season-opening win on the Stan Sheriff Center floor.

Tip-off is set for noon Hawaii time.

In the season-opening meeting on Nov. 9, San Diego escaped the Sheriff Center with a 73-72 win on forward Gyno Pomare's free throw with 2.2 seconds left.

San Diego, under first-year head coach Bill Grier, has struggled since, losing five of its last six games. Hawaii is coming off a 79-58 home win over Coppin State last Tuesday, and is looking to pair wins for the first time this season.

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While not exactly a mulligan, today's game with San Diego represents a second chance for the Hawaii basketball team.

The memory of a one-point loss to open the season has the Rainbow Warriors (2-3) looking forward to another shot at the Toreros (3-5) in the second game of their home-and-home nonconference series.

The game will also provide the Rainbows their second opportunity at proving themselves on the road.

"We feel we let one get away (against the Toreros), now we're back to full strength," UH senior Riley Luettgerodt said. "We've had some good practices and we're ready to get on the road again and get a win."

The Rainbows and Toreros meet again today at noon Hawaii time at the Jenny Craig Pavilion in San Diego.

San Diego opened Bill Grier's tenure as head coach with a 73-72 win at the Stan Sheriff Center on Nov. 9, spoiling Bob Nash's debut at Hawaii.

Since then, San Diego has lost five of its last six games, the latest a 77-71 defeat at Boise State on Wednesday.

After an 0-2 start, Hawaii picked up home wins over Alcorn State and Coppin State sandwiched around a lopsided road loss at New Mexico.

Though the 29-point loss to the Lobos left the Rainbows smarting, they hope their first experience playing away from home pays off in their second trip to the mainland.

"The road can't be an excuse this year," said senior forward Bobby Nash, who led the Rainbows with 22 points against the Toreros last month. "We have to go out there and no matter what gym you're in you just have to play."

Said coach Bob Nash: "It helps us a great deal in that now we've been on the road, we've been in a hostile environment. If we get beat at San Diego it'll be because they were the better team."

The Rainbows left town Friday after an early-morning practice and worked out at Grossmont College yesterday.

One major difference in the second meeting between the teams will be the presence of UH guard Matt Gibson. The senior suffered a knee injury days before the opener, forcing the Rainbows to do some last-minute shuffling. Gibson returned to make his debut last Tuesday in the win over Coppin State, leading the Rainbows with 18 points.

"We were kind of in a scramble mode to get our offense and defense set having Little Matt not able to go," said Bob Nash. "Right now I think we're a much better team than we showed that first game.

"It's just another game and we have to be ready to play," he added. "We're not looking at any kind of revenge game or anything like that, we just have to play the game, execute the things we need to execute."

Guard Brandon Johnson, who scored 19 points in the first game with UH, continues to pace the Toreros with 17.1 points per game. Forward Gyno Pomare made the winning free throw against UH with 2.2 seconds left and is averaging 13.8 points and eight rebounds.

UH still isn't quite a full strength entering the game. Reserve forward Alex Veit didn't make the trip and will miss his second straight game due to an ankle injury. Bob Nash is hopeful the senior will be available for the Rainbows' home game against Long Beach State on Dec. 9.