IRVINE, Calif. -- UC Irvine is set to take Hawai'i inside the Stan Sheriff Center on Thursday (Jan. 11) in a competitive Big West environment. 

UC Irvine at Hawai'i
Thursday, Jan. 11 | 7:00 p.m. HT (9:00 p.m. PT)
SimpliFi Arena at Stan Sheriff Center | Honolulu, Hawai'i
AM 830 | Live Stats | Watch (ESPN+) | Tickets | Notes

ABOUT HAWAI'I
> Hawai'i holds a 9-6 overall record entering the contest, picking up non-conference wins against Hawai'i Hilo, Niagra, Northern Arizona, UTRGV, San Diego, Central Arkansas, Hawai'i Pacific, and Portland
> The Rainbow Warriors opened up Big West action on the island where they fell to Cal State Fullerton, 63-61, in the third overtime meeting between the two squads in the last four games played
> In their first road trip of the season, UH defeated Cal State Bakersfield 78-67 before dropping at CSUN 76-66
> Hawai'i went 22-11 in 2022-23 and 13-7 in Big West action
> In the Big West Championship quarterfinals, the Rainbow Warriors forced overtime with Cal State Fullerton where the Titans ultimately prevailed, 62-60
> Noel Coleman paces the Hawai'i offense with 14.5 points per game (218) on 0.456 shooting from the floor (73-160)
> Coleman has picked the pocket of his opponents 20 times this season, a team best
> Transfer Justin McKoy averages 10.9 points a game in 15 appearances
> Fifth year Bernardo Da Silva has posted 162 total points so far this season (10.8 ppg)
> Da Silva and McKoy take command off the glass with 6.7 and 6.0 rebounds per game, respectively and are the only two Rainbow Warriors with over 90 rebounds this season (next closest is 50)
> Jovon McClanahan rounds out the double figure scoring with his 10.5 points per game (157 total)
> McClanahan has assisted on a team high 55 baskets (3.7 apg)
> Hawai'i was picked to finish third in the Big West Preseason Poll

TOP OF THE LEAGUE
After the opening four games of Big West action, UC Irvine (4-0) currently holds the top spot in the league standings and is one of three teams who are currently undefeated in league play. Thurday's game has big implications on the Big West standings as UCI looks to match their 5-0 start from last season and remain atop the leader board. CSUN (3-0) and UC San Diego (3-0) are the other two squads who are off to an undefeated start in conference action.

'EATERS ON THE ISLAND
UC Irvine has their struggles on the road at Hawai'i despite holding the 9-7 advantage in the Stan Sheriff Center. The Anteaters have lost the last three contests played in Honolulu with one coming in overtime. UCI is looking to change the tide as Hawai'i has not won a league game on the island yet this season and are looking to avoid their first four game winless streak at home since the 2010 season. 

TOP DOGS: OFFENSE VS. DEFENSE
Thursday's game will be a battle between one of the Big West's best scoring offenses and margin (4th-UC Irvine, 78.0 and 2nd, 10.5) and the top scoring defense (2nd-Hawai'i, 66.9). The Anteaters post the league's second best field goal percentage (0.485) and three-point percentage (0.372) while the Rainbow Warriors make a conference high 8.2 three-pointers per game.

GUARD PLAY
Thursday's match-up between UC Irvine and Hawai'i with pit the 13th and 14th ranked scorers in the Big West in Noel Coleman (14.6 ppg, UH) and Justin Hohn (14.1 ppg, UCI). In league play, Hohn is pouring in 15.5 points over four games while Coleman has only posted 11.0 points in three contests. Additionally, the Anteater guard 26.7 minutes per game (30.0 in BW) while the Rainbow Warriors guard plays 33.3 minutes a game (38.1 BW), the third highest total in the Big West. 

ANTEATERS FALL TO HAWAI'I IN FRONT OF SOLD OUT CROWD (FEB. 25)
Former Anteater DJ Davis led UC Irvine with 27 points in the 72-67 loss at Hawai'i in a sold-out Stan Sheriff Center Saturday. Davis knocked down 9-19 from the floor, including 6-10 from three-point range. Center Bent Leuchten added eight points and six rebounds. Ofure Ujadughele had a team-high eight rebounds, a career high. Guard Pierre Crockrell II brought down six boards for the second consecutive game. UCI shot at a 0.444 clip from long range against the nation's then-seventh best three-point defense.

CAREER LEADER BOARD WATCH
With 106 made three-pointers in his career, redshirt senior Justin Hohn is just seven makes away from catching Brett Lauer (2007-09) to enter into the career made three-pointers leader board. Additionally, Pierre Crockrell II is 23 assists from catching Patrick Rembert (2007-11) to become top-10 in program history for career assists.

UCI DEFEATS UC DAVIS IN ELECTRIFYING FASHION
Guard Justin Hohn sent the game into overtime with four second remaining as UC Irvine held off UC Davis for a 74-71 victory at the Bren Events Center Saturday afternoon. Hohn slipped baseline for a reverse layup with four seconds left to tie the game at 62-62 in regulation. After a quick four-point start to the overtime, UCI would not relinquish the lead going 8-8 from the free throw to solidify the win. Hohn and center Bent Leuchten led UCI with 14 points each. Hohn went 5-10 from the floor with three assists, while Leuchten was 4-8 from the field, including 6-6 from the line. Additionally, the junior center added nine rebounds and an important block late in the game. Redshirt junior Devin Tillis led all players with 10 rebounds, including eight on the defensive end. 

ALL ABOUT THE ROTATION
The 'Eaters, who are a strong scoring team receive a lot of momentum from the second and third rotations. UCI is ranked 25th nationally in bench points per game (29.81) and have out performed their opponent eight times this season with non-starters.

DISHIN' DIMES
Pierre Crockrell II has led the Anteaters in 14 contests this season in assists with 99 total. The fifth year guard is averaging 6.2 assists per game and earned his 500th career dime in the win over New Mexico State on Nov. 11. Crockrell II nationally ranks 7th in total assists and 17th in assists per game while he sits atop the Big West in both categories. The guard recorded his second double-double of the season with 10 points and career best 16 assists at Cal State Bakersfield (Dec. 30). The Anteaters are 8-4 when Crockrell II dishes out five or more dimes in a game and were 15-3 in 2022-23 when he hit the same mark.

THIS JUST-IN!
Justin Hohn is a UC Irvine squad leader with 226 total points and 14.1 points per game after his first career 20-point game at No. 16/20 USC with his 25 point outing and was followed by his second at Utah State with 21 points. The redshirt senior has 31 double figure scoring games in his career, the most of any player on the 2023-24 Anteater squad, and has done so in 11 consecutive games. Hohn reached 700 career points in his double digit scoring performance on January 4th.

SEEING DOUBLE
Devin Tillis notched the Anteaters first double-double of the season on Saturday night (Nov. 11) with an 18 point and 10 rebound showing. In the effort, the redshirt junior set a career best in points scored. In the victory over UC Riverside on Dec. 28, Tillis posted his second double double of the season behind 10 points and 10 rebounds. Tillis recorded three double-double efforts last season and earned the program's first since Mar. 15, 2023. The forward has recorded double-figure scoring in five games and double figure rebounding in four games played this season to lead UCI with 95 rebounds, 6.3 per game. 

THE ANDRE SPECIAL
Andre Henry has helped the Anteaters get it done on both ends of the court this season. From three-point range, Henry is shooting one of the team's best percentages 18-42 (0.429) and is a top shooter at the free throw line with his 34 makes (34-43, 0.791). The senior has stolen the ball from opponents a team best 17 times and is one of three players with 60+ rebounds on the season.

MR. POSTMAN
Bent Leuchten dominates at the post whether it is scoring baskets or grabbing the all off the glass. The center returned to action for the Anteaters on Dec. 16 and is one of the teams leaders off the glass, averaging 5.2 rebounds a game in nine contests played. Leucthen has posted five double-figure scoring games since this year, the latest against UC Davis where he put up 14 points. 

CENTER OF ATTENTION
Freshman Carter Welling made his Anteater debut versus Pepperdine on Nov. 21 and has started in nine contests. Averaging 15.2 minutes a game, the center has grabbed 3.7 rebounds per game, blocked 14 shots, and is putting up 5.8 points a game after posting a career high 14-point performance versus the Highlanders on Dec. 28.

FRESHMAN TAKING CARE OF BUSINESS
Derin Saran is second on the team in scoring with 11.1 points per game over 15 games played and has one of the best shooting percentages on the Anteater squad (0.552, 74-134). Saran notched his 100th career point at Utah State and went on an eight game double figure scoring streak ranging from Nov. 17-Dec. 16. The young guard also has 54 rebounds, 27 assists, and 12 steals on the year.

KENPOM LEADERS
Out of 2257 eligible players, Pierre Crockrell II is 2nd in assist rate (45.0). Out of 362 teams, UC Irvine ranks 15th in bench minutes (41.5), 17th in two-point percentage defense (0.439), 31st in three-point percentage offense (0.374), 36th in effective field goal percentage defense (0.458), and 42nd in adjusted defensive efficiency (97.1).

LEADING THE BIG WEST
Several Anteaters sit in the top ten of the Big West individual statistical rankings: rebounds per game (6th, 6.3--Tillis), field goal percentage (6th, 0.552--Saran and 10th, 0.488--Hohn), three-point field goal percentage (2nd, 0.422--Hohn), three-point field goals per game (4th, 2.2--Hohn), assists per game (1st, 6.2--Crockrell II), assist-turnover ratio (4th, 2.4--Crockrell II), and blocks per game (7th, 1.2--C. Welling and 8th, 1.1--Keeler).

NATIONAL STATISTICS THROUGH 1.8.24
UC Irvine is ranked top-50 nationally in assists per game (29th, 17.0), field goal percentage (35th, 0.485), three-point field goal percentage (42nd, 0.372), and rebound margin (45th, 6.4).

NET WORTH
The first NET ranking of the season was released on Monday Dec. 4. The 'Eaters are the highest ranked and only Big West team within the top-100 sitting at 76 with UC San Diego locking in the second position at 129.