Monday, February 2, 1998

Wahine hope streak
stays alive against San Diego St.

By Al Chase
Star-Bulletin

The University of Hawaii women's basketball team arrived in San Diego late yesterday afternoon and, within an hour, were getting familiar with San Diego State's new facility, Cox Arena.

Sunday is normally a day off for the Wahine (18-1 overall, 8-0 Western Athletic Conference), but UH head coach Vince Goo wanted his players to get used to the floor and surroundings while shooting for 40 minutes.

The Wahine, who moved up three spots to No. 20 in the latest Associated Press women's top 25 poll, put their 14-game winning streak on the line against the Aztecs (7-11, 3-6) tomorrow.

Goo said his players were a little weary, but in good spirits and healthy with one game to go on the season's second road trip.

San Diego State lost at WAC Pacific Division rival Fresno State yesterday, 82-72.

The Aztecs will have 5-foot-11 senior forward Olivia DiCamilli, one of their top scorers, back. She was injured when the teams met in Honolulu, a 50-point Hawaii victory .

An advantage for the Wahine is they know how to win on the road and they arrived in San Diego a day ahead of the Aztecs.

"We've got one more day of rest than they do and we got to work out at their place," Goo said.

The victory by Rice over visiting Southern Methodist Saturday put the Wahine two games up over their nearest challenger (SMU). Hawaii closes out its regular-season schedule against the Lady Mustangs Feb. 21.

Goo says it is imperative the Wahine maintain that two-game margin. That makes tomorrow's contest against the defending WAC champions the most important road game to date.

Nani Cockett, who by her own admission did not play well on UH's first road trip to Texas, has led the Wahine is scoring in both games on the current trip.

"I told her she was making her last tour and it was going to come from within," Goo said.

Cockett has responded with 53 points (18 of 34 from the field, 15 of 18 from the free throw line), eight rebounds, eight assists and nine steals.

However, the strength of Goo's starting five is its cohesiveness and work ethic.

"Against San Jose State (Saturday) we went from being up by 21 to up by 11 (with reserves on the floor) in the second half," Goo said. "I had to put first group back in. When the front line people were in, it was pretty impressive."

The Wahine are the only undefeated team in WAC play.

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1997-98 Wahine Basketball Schedule

http://uhathletics.hawaii.edu