FRESNO, Calif. — An ocean away from the wind advisory back home, the University of Hawai'i men's basketball team is looking for winds of change on the road.

"We need to turn our road woes around," senior co-captain Matt Lojeski said. "And we're definitely confident that we can do it in this game."

The Rainbow Warriors will play Fresno State on Thursday in a Western Athletic Conference game at the Save Mart Center. Tipoff is scheduled for 5:05 p.m. (Hawai'i time).

The 'Bows are 12-9 overall and in seventh place in the WAC at 3-5. The Bulldogs are 15-6 and tied for fourth place at 4-4.

The 'Bows defeated the Bulldogs, 83-66, in the Stan Sheriff Center on Jan. 11, so Hawai'i head coach Riley Wallace said he expects to see a more-inspired Fresno State effort for the rematch.

"They're going to be embarrassed over the last game they played at our place, so we have to be ready to match that intensity," Wallace said.

The 'Bows led that game from start to finish, leading by as many as 29 points at one stage of the second half. It was probably Hawai'i's best team effort of the season, as six players scored in double-figures.

"They know our style of game and we know they're style of game," Hawai'i senior co-captain Ahmet Gueye said. "But we have to be confident knowing that we beat them easily at home."

Trouble is, Fresno is not Honolulu. The gray skies and temperatures in the 50s were proof enough on Wednesday.

What's more, Fresno State is 12-1 in the Save Mart Center this season, including 4-0 against WAC teams. Hawai'i, meanwhile, is 2-7 away from Honolulu, including 0-4 against WAC teams.

"We seem to play harder at home, but I think everybody does," Wallace said. "We just have to figure out how to bring some of that energy here on the road."

In an effort to pack that energy, the 'Bows are trying to be efficient. Only 11 players were brought on this trip — scout-team members Jared Dillinger and Marquez Jackson were left off the travel roster, and John Wilder is academically ineligible.

As a result, the Hawai'i practices in the Save Mart Center were shorter and more intense than usual on Tuesday and Wednesday.

"Everybody is involved in practice, so we get it done quick," Lojeski said. "It's a different feeling, not having some of the other guys here, but I think going shorter in practice will help us."

Fresno State head coach Steve Cleveland wasn't so much concerned about Hawai'i's roster size as he was with the 'Bows' size, period. The Bulldogs are expected to start three players 6 feet 6 and shorter; the 'Bows will counter with five starters 6-5 and taller.

"The thing is, we have a mismatch at every position, size-wise," Cleveland said. "It showed the last game when we had no accountability in terms of defensive rebounding. There's no question I have a lot of anxieties about this game because we got manhandled for 40 minutes the last time."

Still, the Bulldogs are one of the WAC's most dangerous offensive teams. Quinton Hosley, a 6-6 senior, and Dominic McGuire, a 6-8 junior, are the best pair of forwards in the conference. Hosley is averaging 14.4 points and 8.5 rebounds per game, and McGuire is averaging 12.8 points, 9.2 rebounds, and 3.5 blocked shots per game.

The Bulldogs lead the WAC in 3-pointers with an average of 9.8 per game. Six different Fresno State players are considered 3-point threats, including 6-9 center Hector Hernandez, who is second on the team with 50 3s.

The Bulldogs could also gain an emotional boost with the return of 6-3 senior guard Ja'Vance Coleman. He missed the last two games for personal reasons, but is expected to play a key role on Thursday, whether he starts or not.

"We're clearly a better team with him here," Cleveland said. "If anything, it's been a unifying thing for this team to welcome him back."

Hawai'i will welcome back a starter of its own in junior point guard Matt Gibson. He did not start the last game due to disciplinary reasons, but responded by scoring a season-high 20 points off the bench.

"He's been the starter the whole year, and he served his penalty, so we'll go back to what it was before," Wallace said.

Dominic Waters, who started in place of Gibson, will return to his role as the first guard off the bench.

In addition to the confidence, the 'Bows expressed excitement over playing in the Save Mart Center, which is the newest and nicest arena in the WAC.

"It's a big-time arena to play in; everything from the rims, to the background, to the locker rooms," Lojeski said.

It seats 15,596, and a crowd of around 9,000 is expected on Thursday.

"I like big places like this," Gueye said. "The crowd goes crazy here, so I'm expecting the same thing. The best feeling is when you can make a crowd like that go quiet."

Reach Dayton Morinaga at dmorinaga@honoluluadvertiser.com.