Sports Watch

By Bill Kwon

Thursday, March 13, 1997

Road to NITtitle
runs through Vegas

ONCE more with feeling for the basketball Rainbows, who still feel they're worthy. Even if it means another roll of the dice in Las Vegas.

The never-say-quit 'Bows kept their remarkable season going by beating the Pac-10 Oregon Ducks, 71-61, last night at the Special Events Arena in the first round of the National Invitation Tournament.

Leave it to the NIT people, says University of Hawaii coach Riley Wallace.

Despite beating the Runnin' Rebels twice -- and having a higher power rating than their fellow WAC rivals -- the Rainbows have to go to Las Vegas for the second-round game Monday.

Wallace wasn't surprised. All things considered, the NIT prefers a home team with a bigger seating capacity even though the 'Bows sold 10,124 tickets while the Rebels played before only 6,575 fans last night in beating Memphis.

But UNLV's Thomas and Mack Center seats 18,200 and that's the ticket.

The decision had already been made before last night's game, according to Bob Byrnes, a member of the NIT committee. "It was strictly the potential of the arena," Byrnes said.

Besides, more Hawaii fans would go to Las Vegas than Las Vegans would come here for the game. And that's a sure bet.

Too bad for Riley and his 'Bows. They know what a home-court advantage can be. They're 16-3 on their floor after last night's comeback victory over the Ducks, who led 30-20 at halftime.

But the 'Bows made up the 10-point deficit in a hurry as the Ducks proved a tired team in the second half because of having to play Saturday and then traveling here.

"We're at home, and you don't get tired at home. That's the big difference. You get the home game and you get a better chance to win in the NIT especially," Wallace said.

The noise factor by the home crowd also helped, Wallace added: "We had a great crowd behind us and they wouldn't let us die. They kept us pumped up, they kept us going."

The 'Bows could have easily rolled over.

Especially when Oregon out-hustled and out-muscled them under the boards. And Kyle Milling, a 6-foot-9, 235-pound senior, was simply too much to handle, scoring 16 points mostly up close.

But Wallace switched from a 1-2-2 to a 2-3 zone that led to Milling only milling around in the second half. He scored only six more points. The 2-3 and the crowd turned out to be the winning ticket to Vegas.

"Down 10 at halftime and win by 10. That's been the scenario all year and hopefully it will continue," said Alika Smith.

Smith led all scorers with 23 points, two coming on an dazzling reverse lay-up. That gave him 21 at the time -- a good omen for the trip to Vegas -- and put the Rainbows ahead to stay, 54-52, with 6:14 remaining.

"Once again University of Hawaii got shunned a little bit because we deserve a second home game with that kind of a crowd," Wallace. "They were awesome. They came out and supported the NIT and they supported us. Now we've got to go back to Vegas, who we've beaten twice."

That's the reality of the NIT for you, even though of the 14 first-round games last night only North Carolina State with 10,200 fans outdrew the Rainbows.

"But it's their tournament so we can't complain about it," Wallace said. "But I sure would like to keep these kids at home for one more ball game. I really feel bad about that."

Danny Furlong, the team's lone active senior, doesn't mind. He's just glad for the opportunity to prolong his Rainbow career whether it's home or away.