Gameday: CSUN

Hawaii knows who it has to stop in Saturday night’s meeting with Cal State Northridge (rebranded simply CSUN in the offseason).

There’s no more Josh Greene to torment UH as in the 87-84 first-round loss in the Big West tournament last year, but CSUN can be dangerous anyway.

Stephan Hicks (1,730 points) is the Matadors’ all-time career scoring leader, while Stephen Maxwell is the all-time leading rebounder with plenty of buckets of his own. Maxwell was a preseason All-Big West pick. Tre Hale-Edmerson is the all-time CSUN blocks leader in just his junior season. Aaron Parks had his moments off the bench against UH last season.

Benjy Taylor is electing to start center Stefan Jovanovic with a bigger starting lineup with Garrett Nevels still sidelined from hand surgery. It’s back to the bench for up-and-down freshman Isaac Fleming.

UH (12-5, 0-1) needs this game in a bad way if it is to entertain hopes of a top-four finish in the Big West. Let’s see if they come out with the appropriate urgency after the lackadaisical start against Cal Poly.