The Hawaii Warriors won the Big West Tournament to make their first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2002, but are still looking for their first win in the Big Dance. Here's everything you need to now about Hawaii:
Resume:
Record – 27-5 (13-3 in Big West)
RPI – 86
Strength of Schedule – 279
Starting Lineup:
G Roderick Bobbitt (Sr.) – 13.3 ppg, 5.5 apg, 4.2 rpg
G Aaron Valdes (Jr.) – 14.6 ppg, 5.5 rpg
G Quincy Smith (Sr.) – 7.7 ppg, 3.2 rpg
F Michael Thomas (Jr.) – 7.6 ppg, 5.4 rpg
F Stefan Jankovic (Jr.) - 15.7 ppg, 6.6 rpg
Key Player:
Stefan Jankovic
Jankovic, a Canada native and Missouri transfer, is simply a huge matchup problem for every team Hawaii faces. He has elite size at 6'11" and 235 lbs, but he is athletic and skilled enough to make plays on the perimeter. That allows him to flourish in Hawaii's wide-open offensive system, where he can use his quickness to drive past slower defenders with ease. Jankovic has a soft touch around the rim, shooting 55.7 percent on the season, but also has range on his jumper, shooting 39.5 percent from behind the three-point line.
Biggest Strength:
Creating turnovers
Hawaii uses their supremely athletic roster to really pressure their opponents on defense, creating 7.7 steals per game (21st in the country). That allows them to speed up the tempo of the game and get easy baskets in transition, an area in which they flourish.
Biggest Weakness:
Three-point shooting
The Warriors are excellent at attacking the basket, but really struggle to stretch the court offensively. With no player shooting over 40 percent from deep, they rank just 254th in the country in three-point shooting (32.4 percent).
Outlook:
Hawaii has the size and versatility to cause problems for a lot of teams, and I think they're a contender to make a surprise Sweet 16 run depending on their draw. Remember, this team nearly knocked off Oklahoma earlier this year, showing their ability to play with the best of the best in the sport. If you're looking for an upset pick, Hawaii is your team.