After posting a 3-2 record at home, the University of Hawai'i women's basketball team is ready for its first road test.

Hawai'i plays host San Francisco (3-4) today, and Santa Clara (2-4) on Saturday in a rare non-conference road trip.

"We're really excited to get on the road early," Hawai'i senior wing Amy Sanders said. "It will help us once we get into league play."

Hawai'i is coming off a 68-66 buzzer-beater victory over Texas A&M in the third-place game of the Hawaiian Airlines Rainbow Wahine Classic on Nov. 27. Sanders' last-second putback won the game.

"We have more confidence right now," Sanders said. "Everyone has faith in everyone. It's nice to have a real well-rounded team this year."

Hawai'i coach Jim Bolla said the reduction of Western Athletic Conference teams from 10 to nine this season allowed for the non-conference, two-game road trip.

The last time a UH team traveled before conference play was during the 1993-94 season when the Rainbow Wahine lost at Oregon State, 85-63.

Bolla said the trip will help the Rainbow Wahine when the NCAA committee decides on postseason tournaments.

"It shows the NCAAs that Hawai'i is willing to travel," Bolla said. "It gets rid of the stigma that Hawai'i plays all of its games at home."

In addition, Bolla said playing away will give his young players experience. This is the first road trip for guards Cassidy Chretien and Amy Kotani.

"Having your first conference game on your first road trip is not an ideal situation," Bolla said of Hawai'i's WAC opener at Nevada on Jan. 5. "Let's get a routine down."

Chretien and Kotani gave solid relief performances in place of starting guard Janevia Taylor, who was suspended for the Texas A&M game for not following coaching directions.

Taylor returned to practice this week, and will start today's game, Bolla said.

The game will be broadcast live at 5 p.m. on KKEA Radio (1420AM). Saturday's broadcast will be determined after the Hawai'i-Missouri women's volleyball match tomorrow.

NOTES

Jim Bolla is recovering from kidney stone surgery performed Saturday. Bolla said he opted for the surgery because he said he didn't want to be in discomfort during the road trip. ... Hawai'i post player Alofa Toiaivao did not make the trip because she was "not playing hard" in practice, Bolla said.

Reach Brandon Masuoka at bmasuoka@honoluluadvertiser.com.