Uc Irvine Basketball is set to face the University of Hawaii at Manoa men’s team in the Big West Championship game on Saturday (ET), as UH’s men and women each punched their ticket to the title stage in Henderson, Nevada.
What happens when Uc Irvine Basketball faces a Hawaii team coming off a late-night semifinal?
Hawaii’s men advanced after taking the court late Friday night against California State University, Fullerton, with UH entering as the second seed and securing a double bye. Head coach Eran Ganot described a game that demanded both a fast start and a steady response as the Titans pushed back in the second half.
“We knew it was gonna be tough. It was kind of back-and-forth early. Obviously, we got off to a great start. We challenge our team with the adversity to get our identity back, ” Ganot said.
UH center Isaac Johnson was highlighted for helping the Rainbow Warriors pull away in the desert, framing the performance around the team’s internal expectations.
“The standard on this team is you gotta do what it takes to win no matter what position you are, you have to box out and get back on defense, you have to play smart, ” Johnson said.
With that semifinal complete, the matchup is now set: on Saturday (ET), Hawaii’s men will play the number one seed University of California, Irvine. The men’s final also completes a broader weekend storyline for UH: both programs will play for a Big West championship on the same day.
What if overtime resilience becomes the defining theme across UH’s championship day?
Hawaii’s women reached the Big West Championship game after an overtime finish that turned on a late three-pointer. UH guard Bailey Flavell hit a shot to tie the game with seven seconds left against top-seeded UC Irvine, sending the contest into extra time.
“The coaches put us through those moments in training every week and we’re always working on that so I definitely felt prepared, ” Flavell said.
The women’s run to the final came with a clear pattern: two wins in two days, both in overtime, extending UH’s win streak to 10. Head coach Laura Beeman emphasized that the team’s position in the bracket did not feel surprising to her, even if the path was demanding.
“I’m not surprised that we’re sitting here today, ” Beeman said. “I could not have had two overtime games, but I’m not surprised at the way they love each other, play for each other, celebrate for each other and they execute when they need to. ”
Fan support was also part of the moment in Henderson. UH fan Danielle Lum described the value of having a crowd behind a young team competing far from home.
“When you’re traveling and you’re this far away from home and you’ve got a really young team, it means something to have the crowd behind you, ” Lum said.
Beeman also used the post-game setting to dedicate the win to Hawaii amid severe weather impacting the islands, calling it a victory meant for the entire state.
On Saturday (ET), UH’s women will face UC San Diego, while the men’s team will take on the top seed in a championship pairing that puts Uc Irvine Basketball directly in the center of the Big West title picture.
What happens next in the Big West championship window on Saturday (ET)?
Saturday’s schedule (ET) now carries two clear stakes for Hawaii: a women’s final against UC San Diego and a men’s final against the number one seed University of California, Irvine. For the men, the championship sets a contrast between UH’s double-bye entry and the challenge of dealing with the tournament’s top seed. For the women, the overtime-tested group moves from a dramatic semifinal into a new matchup, with the previous round’s late-game execution still fresh.
The day’s headline, though, will be the men’s championship pairing: Hawaii against University of California, Irvine, with Uc Irvine Basketball positioned as the final obstacle between the Rainbow Warriors and the Big West tournament crown.
