A little momentum is better than no momentum when it comes to traveling.

At least that's how the University of Hawai'i men's basketball team is feeling as it prepares for its second road trip of the season.

"We have a streak going — one win," senior tri-captain Bobby Nash said with a grin. "That's something we can take with us on the road and build on it."

The Rainbow Warriors are 2-3 after a convincing 79-58 victory over Coppin State on Tuesday at the Stan Sheriff Center.

Now, the 'Bows get a chance to avenge a season-opening 73-72 heartbreaking loss to San Diego in the Sheriff Center.

Hawai'i will play at San Diego on Sunday to complete the home-and-home series. The 'Bows are scheduled to depart Honolulu tomorrow afternoon.

"Any time you lose and get a chance to get another crack at the team that beat you, that's motivation," Nash said. "That loss was hard to swallow, so we're going to work hard this week to get better and try to turn it around this time."

The Toreros beat the 'Bows when center Gyno Pomare made a free throw with 2.2 seconds remaining. Prior to that, the game was tied and Hawai'i was working for a potential go-ahead shot. Pomare got a steal and was fouled as he went in for a layup.

"To lose it on a turnover leaves a bitter taste in your mouth," Hawai'i head coach Bob Nash said. "But we have to put it behind us and work on this game. This is a new game and we have to be ready."

San Diego is 3-5 after a loss at Boise State yesterday. The other losses were against USC, UNLV, San Diego State and South Alabama.

"They've played some good teams since the last time we saw them, so they'll be ready for us," Bob Nash said.

In the first meeting, the 'Bows played without injured senior point guard Matt Gibson. He made his season debut against Coppin State and finished with 18 points and six assists off the bench.

"Matt gives us another scorer they have to prepare for," Bob Nash said. "But we're still a work in progress ourselves so we have to make sure we're prepared before anything else."

This week will be Hawai'i's second road trip of the season. The 'Bows lost at New Mexico, 89-60, on Nov. 21.

"This is obviously a closer trip," Nash said. "There's no altitude; I don't know what kind of crowd they get, but I don't think it'll be 13,000 like we saw at The Pit. There aren't as many elements to deal with."

Reach Dayton Morinaga at dmorinaga@honoluluadvertiser.com.