You can't defend home court without defense.

That's the approach the University of Hawai'i men's basketball team is taking as it attempts to stop a four-game losing streak today.

The Rainbow Warriors will host Lamar at 5:05 p.m. at the Stan Sheriff Center. Hawai'i is 2-4; Lamar is 3-5.

"I think we're scoring enough points, we're just not getting quality stops on defense and we're giving up too many easy baskets," Hawai'i head coach Bob Nash said. "We really need to have a good defensive effort. That's our focus for this game."

It should help to have two key players available for today's game.

Junior guard Dwain Williams and junior center Douglas Kurtz are both expected to see reserve action today. Williams recently completed a two-game suspension for violating team rules. Kurtz just completed a six-game NCAA suspension for eligibility issues.

"I'm good," Williams said. "I'm doing better in school, I've been working out on my own. I'm just ready to get back out there and help this team win."

Williams, who started the first four games of this season, is second on the team in scoring with 13.3 points per game.

"He's back in the fold," Nash said. "But he's obviously missed some practice time, and he still needs to get up to speed with the rest of the guys. We'll see how things go in the game before we determine what his role might be."

Kurtz, who is 7 feet and 275 pounds, will make his NCAA Division I debut today. He sat out the first six games because of a brief stint he had with a professional team in Brazil several years ago.

He is expected to help solidify a Hawai'i defense that is allowing opponents to score 73.3 points per game at a .486 field-goal percentage.

"I think I'm a good defensive player, so I hope I can help," Kurtz said. "But it's about the whole team. Everybody has to work together to make the defense work."

Today's game is the first in a nine-game homestand for the 'Bows. It is also the first of three games in seven days.

"These are must wins right here this week," Hawai'i leading scorer Roderick Flemings said. "We get these and we're back on track."

If anything, the 'Bows are catching Lamar at the right place — far from home. The Cardinals are 3-0 at home and 0-5 on the road this season.

Lamar features a balanced attack, with five players averaging between 7.4 and 13.1 points per game.

"We're really trying to push the ball, believe it or not," Lamar head coach Steve Roccaforte said. "I think our biggest problem right now is we're not getting enough transition baskets."

Nash said Hawai'i's biggest concern could be the speed of Lamar's backcourt.

"They have some quick guards and they like to press, so we have to be on our toes," Nash said. "We worked really hard on defense this week, so hopefully it translates in the game."