HONOLULU (Interstat) — A pivotal Big West Conference men’s basketball clash is set for Saturday when the Hawaii Warriors host the UC Santa Barbara Gauchos at the Stan Sheriff Center. Both teams enter the 9 p.m. local time tipoff looking to rebound from road losses this past Saturday that snapped winning streaks. Hawaii (18-6 overall) saw a four-game run end with an 84-60 defeat at Cal State Northridge. UC Santa Barbara (17-9) had a three-game win streak halted in an 89-79 loss at Cal Poly. The matchup carries significant weight in the conference standings and features a recent head-to-head result that favors the visitors. On Jan. 17 in Santa Barbara, the Gauchos handled the Warriors 77-62. Hawaii will seek to defend its home court and avenge that defeat. A key player to watch for UCSB is guard Colin Smith, who is coming off a 17-point performance in the loss to Cal Poly and has scored in double figures in six of his last seven games. For Hawaii, guard Isaac Finlinson will be central to the Warriors’ attack. He averaged 14.3 points over a recent three-game stretch before being held to 13 points in the loss to CSUN. The Gauchos have shown resilience on the road in conference play, boasting notable away wins at UC Riverside and Long Beach State this season. Hawaii, however, has been strong at home, with its last defeat at the Stan Sheriff Center coming in overtime against UC Irvine on Jan. 29. Saturday’s contest is the first of two critical games for each team this week. Hawaii will travel to face UC Davis and Cal State Fullerton next week, while UC Santa Barbara prepares to host UC Riverside before a rematch at UC Irvine.