PAUL SAKUMA / SPECIAL TO THE STAR-ADVERTISER
The Rainbow Warriors celebrated while displaying the winning bracket after capturing the Big West Tournament title with a victory over UC Irvine on Saturday in Henderson, Nev.
Hawaii drew the No. 13th seed in the West Region and will face fourth-seeded and SEC champion Arkansas in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament.
They will play on Thursday in Portland, Ore. The tipoff is scheduled for 10:25 a.m. Hawaii time and the game will be televised on TBS.
Arkansas won the Southeastern Conference Tournament title today with an 86-75 victory over Vanderbilt. Tournament MVP Darius Acuff Jr. scored 30 points and dished out 11 assists in the victory for the nation’s No. 17th-ranked team.
Arizona is the No. 1 seed in the West. The Wildcats are in the upper bracket of the West, the same as the Rainbow Warriors, along with LIU, Villanova, Utah State, Wisconsin, High Point and Arkansas.
However, Arizona, LIU, Villanova and Utah State will be playing their West Region games in San Diego. Wisconsin and High Point will join Hawaii and Arkansas in Portland.
The bottom half of the West bracket features No. 2-seeded Purdue, which won the Big Ten title today by upsetting Michigan, and No. 3 Gonzaga, the West Coast Conference champion that will be leaving for the Pac-12 next season.
Don’t miss out on what’s happening!
Stay in touch with breaking news, as it happens, conveniently in your email inbox. It’s FREE!
BYU, the Texas/NC State winner, Kennesaw State and Gonzaga also will play in Portland. Miami, Missouri, Purdue and Queens will play their West Region games in St. Louis, Mo.
