Tuesday, January 1, 2002
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Rainbows take The planet Jupiter was at its brightest in last night's sky, an event known as an opposition. But the only opposition the Hawaii basketball team was concerned with were the two on its first conference road trip of the year.
streak on road
UH is out to prove it can
WAC standings
be a success away from
the Stan Sheriff CenterBy Cindy Luis
cluis@starbulletin.comThe Rainbows (11-2, 2-0 WAC) spent New Year's Eve in Los Angeles and were scheduled to leave for El Paso, Texas, this morning. Hawaii, sharing the early Western Athletic Conference lead with Louisiana Tech and SMU, takes on UTEP (5-8, 0-2) on Thursday and Boise State (6-6, 0-2) on Saturday.
The Rainbows had no organized holiday plans last night other than to watch game films of the Miners. They are focused on adding to their current winning streak of five as well as taking down UTEP, the only WAC team to beat them twice last season.
"The motivation is that they beat us two times in a row," said senior co-captain Mike McIntyre. "We want to beat this team, prove that we can win down there.
"This is probably the best way to start a road trip, face a team that beat us twice and start the trip with a win."
UTEP leads the series, 31-12, and has a huge advantage at home (16-3). The last Hawaii win at what is now the Haskins Center was on Feb. 3, 2000, which snapped a four-game skid against the Miners.
Tomorrow (All times HST) WAC schedule
Hawaii at UTEP, 3 p.m.
San Jose State at Boise State, 4:30 p.m.
Rice at Fresno State, 5 p.m.
Tulsa at Nevada, 5 p.m.Saturday
SMU at Louisiana Tech, Noon
San Jose State at UTEP, 3 p.m.
Rice at Nevada, 4:05 p.m.
Hawaii at Boise State, 4:30 p.m.
Tulsa at Fresno State, 7 p.m.
Last year's meeting came on the final night of the regular season. Senior forward Brandon Wolfram scored 35 points to lead UTEP to an 85-77 victory.
This season is a different story for the Miners, who have lost four of their last five games. UTEP returns four starters from last year's team that finished second in the regular season; the lone starter not back is Wolfram, who averaged 22.3 points and 7.6 rebounds a contest.
"I thought they'd be better this year," said Hawaii coach Riley Wallace. "I don't know what's happened to them. Wolfram's gone and that's 20-something points you have to replace. You have to spread those around (to the returning players) and, if you look at their stats, they really haven't done that.
"Our guys aren't taking anything for granted. They know how tough the road is. But both teams (UTEP and Boise State) are beatable if we play our game."
Hawaii's game is defense. The Rainbows are holding opponents to an average of 57.9 points a game, among the top 20 in the country; three times, their opponents didn't score 50, including last Saturday when Nevada barely hit 40.
Hawaii is averaging 67.3 points a game, led by senior guard Predrag Savovic's 18-point average over six games. Savovic had a team-high 18 in last year's loss at UTEP.
"It's a tough place to play but it's like every other (road) game," said Savovic. "It's not that we have something to prove against them, but we have to show we can win on the road. The arenas are the same everywhere, but it's always a good excuse.
"The team is focused on the game and this team is different this year. It's a business trip but it's fun."
Savovic still has a little pain in his lower back after taking a hit in Saturday's game against Nevada. The only other Rainbow not 100 percent is junior forward Luc-Arthur Vebobe, who missed yesterday's practice with strep throat. He made the trip.
It's a road trip of extremes. El Paso was dry with a high of 58 degrees yesterday and a low hovering around freezing. It's been snowing in Boise, where the high has been around 32 and the low 19.
Hawaii traditionally has not been a good road team. The Rainbows are 2-20 the past three years in WAC regular-season road play.
But Hawaii did win three in a row on the road to claim the WAC tournament title last March. That's the trip McIntrye says has stayed with the team for the last nine months.
"The road is a factor, but we want to be a championship team," said McIntyre, making his fourth trip to El Paso. "Coach (Wallace) is telling us we have to dominate at home and gain splits on the road. I like the theory, but I want to dominate on the road, too. I think we can do it.
"It's all about leadership, keeping the rest of the guys motivated. Our attitude reminds me of how we were at the end of last season. We have the same mindset as we did then. We're going as a family and keeping together as a family.
"We've been talking a lot. Now we need to act."
Beginning today, Hawaii wants to act on some New Year's resolutions. They are resolved to keep winning.
"Stay positive, stay healthy and keep it going," said McIntrye.
"I want to win all our games in 2002," added Wallace. "My wife wanted me to go out and look at Saturn or some planet (last night). It was supposed to be something spiritual or something like that. That's not what I do. We're watching films."
Notes: Hawaii received three points in yesterday's Associated Press Top 25 poll, with two pollsters voting. The Honolulu Advertiser, which alternates the vote with the Star-Bulletin, had the Rainbows at No. 24. An unidentified voter had them at No. 25. ... In the USA Today/ESPN coaches poll, Hawaii received six points. ... Hawaii's strength of schedule is at 300 out of 327 teams, but the Rainbows moved up to 75 in the Sagarin ratings and 61 in the RPI. ... Hawaii-UTEP is one of ESPN.com's "Games to Watch" this week. According to senior writer Andy Katz, "The Rainbow Warriors are the hottest team in the WAC, but they haven't left the islands. They go to UTEP and Boise State this week and must prove that they're not simply a homecooked team by getting at least a split."
Tomorrow (All times HST) WESTERN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE
Conference All Games W L PCT W L PCT Hawaii 2 0 1.000 11 2 .846 La. Tech 2 0 1.000 8 3 .727 SMU 2 0 1.000 7 5 .583 Nevada 1 1 .500 8 4 .667 Fresno St 1 1 .500 9 5 .643 Tulsa 0 0 .000 9 2 .818 Rice 0 0 .000 5 5 .500 Boise St 0 2 .000 6 6 .500 UTEP 0 2 .000 5 8 .385 San Jose St 0 2 .000 5 9 .357 Hawaii at UTEP, 3 p.m.
Rice at Fresno State, 5 p.m.
San Jose State at Boise State, 4:30 p.m.
Tulsa at Nevada, 5 p.m.Saturday
Hawaii at Boise State, 4:30 p.m.
Tulsa at Fresno State, 7 p.m.
SMU at Louisiana Tech, Noon
Rice at Nevada, 4:05 p.m.
San Jose State at UTEP, 3 p.m.
http://uhathletics.hawaii.edu