The University of Hawai'i men's basketball team is getting defensive.

And it has nothing to do with referees.

Small adjustments have made a big difference in the defensive play of the Rainbow Warriors over the last two weeks.

"We're still playing man-to-man," associate coach Bob Nash said. "But it's more of a team man-to-man. It's about making sure the rest of the team is there to back up the guy defending the ball."

Nash has become the defensive coordinator. He installed the scheme around two weeks ago, and he tinkers with it each game.

"I look at the film of the opponent, and then try to make sure our guys are in the best position to make defensive stops," he said.

In short, the 'Bows are trying to funnel opposing offenses into a crowded area of the court, so that extra defenders are available for back-up.

"It involves the whole team," Hawai'i head coach Riley Wallace said. "If a guard gets beat, a big man has to be there to pick up. And then that guard has to be quick enough to recover. It takes a lot of energy."

In the four games since installing the new defense, Hawai'i is 3-1, and the only loss was the controversial ending at Nevada.

In those four games, the 'Bows are allowing 56.0 points per game, and opponents are shooting just 31.3 percent from the field.

"Before, we were giving up drives right down the middle of the lane," junior point guard Matt Gibson said. "What we're doing now is taking away that drive, and making the other team shoot tougher shots."

For the season, opponents are shooting 39.5 percent from the field against the 'Bows. No Hawai'i team has ever held its opponents to 40 percent or lower for an entire season.

"The thing is, we can still get a lot better," Wallace said. "We're still not a good defensive team."

LOJESKI NOT PRACTICING

Matt Lojeski skipped practice yesterday because of an injured foot.

"My plan is to play (tomorrow), but I'm a little worried about it," he said.

Lojeski, a 6-foot-6 shooting guard, leads the team with 16.2 points and 4.7 assists per game. Junior Riley Luettgerodt practiced with the first team in place of Lojeski yesterday.

NOTES

The Western Athletic Conference said in a statement Monday that "indisputable video evidence" shows that there was no clock malfunction at the end of Hawai'i's 69-68 loss at Nevada on Saturday. An ESPN2 broadcast appeared to indicate that a shot by Hawai'i's P.J. Owsley may have gone in with time still on the clock. However, the WAC's "comprehensive review" concluded that the shot came after time expired.

Former University of Hawai'i boxer Tom Shimabuku will be awarded the 2006 Kane Fernandez Community Service Award at tomorrow's game.

Reach Dayton Morinaga at dmorinaga@honoluluadvertiser.com.