Thursday, November 26, 1998

From a shocker
to the Shockers
for UH

After a humbling loss, the
'Bows basketball team looks to
bounce back vs. Wichita State

By Bill Kwon
Star-Bulletin

What do you tell your basketball team after it scored only 37 points in a good old-fashioned whipping?

Work harder.

That's what Hawaii coach Riley Wallace told his Rainbows, who were dismantled by No. 13 Oklahoma State, 58-37, last week.

"It was a sobering experience and you hope they learned from it," Wallace said. "They weren't down at all. We practiced better this week."

The 'Bows (1-2) try to put back the pieces tomorrow night against Wichita State in the opener of the United Airlines Tip-Off Tournament at the Stan Sheriff Center. Tip-off is 7:07.

Auburn (4-0) and Rutgers (2-0) will meet in the second game. The four teams play again Sunday night with Hawaii-- win or lose -- playing the first game.

The Rainbows had problems running their offense against the Cowboys' stifling, in-your-face defense, scoring only 15 points in the second half.

The 37-point total was the lowest since a 39-37 loss to Wyoming in 1982 at Blaisdell Arena.

It's the fewest points scored by a UH team since Wallace took over as head coach in 1987 and, for the first time in a decade, the 'Bows didn't have a player score in double figures.

Bad news for the 'Bows:

Wichita State is similar to Oklahoma State, according to Wallace.

"Their passing game is like Oklahoma State and they play a tough man-to-man defense," Wallace said of the Shockers, who come to town with a 1-1 record after losing, 60-50, at Pepperdine Tuesday night.

Like Hawaii, the Shockers run a three-guard offense. Maurice Evans and Jason Perez are their leading scorers. They accounted for 41 percent of the team's points last year.

Wichita State coach Randy Smithson said he wouldn't trade the two for any pair of wing players in the nation.

Wallace will make his first starting lineup change, going with true freshman Mike McIntyre at off-guard instead of Geremy Robinson.

He said McIntyre's speed and perimeter shooting could open things up more offensively.

"He gives us more potential in scoring," Wallace said.

Johnny White will again be at point guard, and Casey Cartwright, the team's leading scorer with a 12.3 average, Mike Robinson and Erin Galloway round out the starting five.

Overall, Hawaii is 1-1 against Wichita State and 1-2 against Rutgers. The Rainbows have never played Auburn, which defeated BYU by 20 points earlier this season.

---

http://uhathletics.hawaii.edu