Hawaii's bid to cap its Big West run with a trophy slipped away in agonizing fashion on Saturday, as the Rainbow Warriors dropped a five-set marathon to Long Beach State in Irvine. The Big West final went the distance and then some, and Hawaii walked away with a 27-5 record and a nervous wait to see where the next chapter of its season will play out in the NCAA tournament.
Long Beach State took the conference crown with set scores of 20-25, 27-25, 22-25, 30-28 and 15-11 and secured the Big West's automatic NCAA berth, according to the University of Hawai'i athletics. Hawaii will now wait on the NCAA Selection Show, which will stream on Hawaii News Now's reported platform of NCAA.com at 10 a.m. HST Sunday.
Coach's Short Answer And The Committee's Question
Asked where he wants his team to play next, coach Charlie Wade did not overthink it. His reply: "Stan Sheriff Center." He added that he believes the Warriors are "in a strong position to not only get an at-large bid, but host," as reported by Spectrum News Hawaii. The selection committee will weigh a familiar stew of metrics and criteria, a breakdown that local coverage has already dug into in the Honolulu Star-Advertiser's preview of the show.
What The Bracket Looks Like
The NCAA Final Four is scheduled for May 9 and May 11 at UCLA's Pauley Pavilion, according to the championship site schedule. The selection show will set the 12-team bracket and identify which programs get to roll out the welcome mat as opening-round hosts.
Hosting Calculus
On paper, Hawaii has plenty going for it. The Warriors sit near the top of the national polls, with the AVCA listing Hawai'i among the country's elite teams, a data point that will be in front of the selection committee. Still, the group has to juggle seeding, travel and bracket logistics, so a lofty ranking does not automatically translate into a home regional, as Spectrum News Hawaii noted.
What Fans Should Watch
Fans can tune in to the NCAA Selection Show at 10 a.m. HST Sunday on NCAA.com to find out whether UH lands an at-large berth and, if it does, whether that bid comes with home-court advantage. The show time was confirmed by Hawaii News Now. If Hawai'i is awarded a regional, the school's athletics department will post ticket and logistics information on its website and social channels, so fans should keep an eye on the University of Hawai'i athletics feed for the latest updates.
