Gameday: UC Riverside

A hobbled version of UC Riverside takes the floor against Hawaii tonight at the Stan Sheriff Center.

The third-place Highlanders (5-11, 3-2 Big West) are without their second- and fourth-leading scorers in Chance Murray (11.1 ppg) and Malik Thames (9.3), both ostensibly for team reasons.

So now we see if UH (8-10, 2-3) can take advantage. As I wrote in today’s print edition, the team is well aware of its recurring problem making layups.

Noah Allen is red hot coming in, having scored 27.0 ppg over the last three games. The problem last time against UC Davis was that he didn’t get enough help, as starters Jack Purchase and Leland Green were held down. Green fouled out for the fifth time this season, and didn’t get to take a late-game hero shot ala Cal State Northridge.

Look for Sheriff Drammeh to provide energy off the bench again.

For Riverside, it’s likely to be the Secean Johnson show, supplemented at times by forward Alex Larsson.