The University of Hawaiʻi men’s basketball team is no longer held under a postseason NCAA ban issued in 2015. The ban was due to violations made by former coach Gib Arnold’s staff from 2011. The NCAA Division 1 Committee determined that the team would be on a probationary ban for three years, which was then reduced to two, and they are now free to participate in all activities. The ban affected the team’s ability to recruit and keep players because of the lack of full season playing time. After the team’s 14-14 run in 2015, they made a go for the tourney and flew through the second round. Head coach Eran Ganot created a spectacular team with endurance to perform against difficult opponents at the end of the season, which made the ban even more bittersweet. Ultimately, the Warriors lost most of their recruited talent to transfers and graduations, leaving Ganot with a rebuilding year this season. The Warriors are again 14-14 on the season and will look forward to a run in the Big West tournament before the March Madness tourney begins.
