LaTech’s Millsap
a handful for ’BowsThe true freshman leads the
nation in rebounds per game
Bob Nash knows a little bit about rebounding.
Louisiana Tech at Hawaii
When: Tomorrow, 7 p.m.
Where: Stan Sheriff Center
TV: Live, KFVE-TV
Radio: Live, 1420-AM
Internet: uhathletics.hawaii.edu
Tickets: Lower Level, $15 (single seats only); Upper Level (adult) $11; Upper Level (student, UH) $5; Super Rooter $8. First 100 UH students with a valid ID through the turnstiles, Free. Military personnel with ID (including a spouse and up to two dependents), free.
Parking: $3.
The Hawaii associate basketball coach has owned the school records for rebounds in a game (30) and in a season (361) for more than three decades and now teaches the Rainbow Warrior big men the intricacies of the craft.
So he figures to have some insight into what makes Louisiana Tech forward Paul Millsap the nation's most prolific rebounder this season.
"It's more about a mentality that on every play you're going to go to the boards with your arms up, with the idea that the shot is going to be missed," Nash said. "In his case, he has such long arms, good timing, good vision of the ball when it hits the rim that he's always in position to pull the rebound down."
The Rainbows will try to block Millsap off the boards tomorrow night when they look to protect their lead in the Western Athletic Conference against Louisiana Tech at the Stan Sheriff Center. UH closes out its homestand Saturday against Southern Methodist before heading on a three-game road trip.
"We have to be ready the rest of the way; even the home games are all tough," UH coach Riley Wallace said.
Hawaii (16-4, 8-2 WAC) is looking to sweep the season series against the Bulldogs having pulled out a 67-60 win in Ruston, La., on Jan. 17.
Millsap, a 6-foot-7 true freshman from Grambling, La., paces the Bulldogs (11-10, 5-6) with 15.4 points and leads the country with 12.8 rebounds per game. Those numbers jump to 16.5 points and 14.2 rebounds in conference games.
"It's unbelievable, he's a phenom," Nash said. "We have some great freshmen in this league, and this league is getting better and better."
Although he's not a giant in the paint, Millsap has shown a knack for pulling down missed shots and is shooting 61 percent from the field. He had 16 points and 15 boards in the first game against Hawaii and registered 20 in both categories in a loss to Nevada last Saturday.
"If he's not one of the better freshmen in the country I don't know who is, because he's certainly a load," Nevada coach Trent Johnson said in this week's WAC teleconference.
Hawaii is protecting a half-game lead over Texas-El Paso for first place in the WAC and will look to hold its own on the boards after being outrebounded in a win over San Jose State last Saturday.
"We have to get the defensive boards, we don't want them to get all those garbage putbacks, stuff rolling off the rim," UH forward Phil Martin said. "That can pick at you in the long run."
Nash said the UH big men will need to hold their ground in the paint in order to cut into Millsap's production.
"You have to put that body on him and just limit his number of touches," he said. "And at the other end you have to make him work. You just have to make sure there's body contact on every play."
While containing Millsap will be a concern, the Rainbows also expect the Bulldogs to turn up the pace and try to break the defense down with penetration to the basket.
"It's just speed and quickness flying up and down the floor," Martin said. "We have to have our legs and we have to get down tough and dirty on defense and help each other out."
Four LaTech players average double-figures in scoring, with guards Donell Allick and Corey Dean contributing better than 11 points per game and forward Wayne Powell (10.1 ppg, 6.3 rpg) complementing Millsap inside.
Hawaii forward Julian Sensley had one of his best games of the season in the win at LaTech when he made nine of 11 shots from the field and finished with 19 points. The sophomore is second on the team in scoring with 11.6 points and grabs a team-high 7.6 rebounds per game. Guard Michael Kuebler is second in the WAC in scoring (19 ppg), and continues to lead the conference with 57 3-point goals.
While UH has five seniors, all of LaTech's main contributors are underclassmen. Which could make the Bulldogs dangerous down the stretch this season and in years to come.
"Because they are a young team, it takes a while for them all to jell and they seem to be doing that now," Wallace said. "If you have a young team like that peaking at the right time and get ready for the tournament, they can make a run."
