UC Riverside routs Rainbows
By Becky Freeman
Special to the Star-Bulletin
RIVERSIDE, Calif. » A combination of UC Riverside's physical defense and the Highlanders' Larry Cunningham having a record-breaking night, resulted in Hawaii suffering its second straight loss last night at UCR's Student Recreation Center.
The Highlanders sprinted to an early double-digit lead and the Rainbow Warriors never fully recovered as UCR went on to win 79-62 in front of a season-high crowd of 1,214 in a nonconference ESPNU BracketBuster game.
Cunningham scored 31 points on 10-for-15 shooting from the field, including 3-for-6 from 3-point range, and 8-for-8 from the line, to become Riverside's all-time leading scorer with a career total of 1,390 points. The fifth-year senior guard got the Highlanders off to a quick start, making seven of his first eight shots as UC Riverside shot 53.8 percent from the field. In comparison, the Rainbows made only 37.5 percent of their shots due to UCR's aggressive defense.
"There were things defensively that we wanted to accomplish -- to have our intensity dictate the game -- and that worked well for us tonight," Cunningham said after the game.
UCR also benefited from the absence of Hawaii's leading scorer. Guard Matt Gibson was scratched before the game with a knee injury.
Senior Bobby Nash and freshman Kareem Nitoto led Hawaii with 13 points apiece.
The Highlanders came off the tip on fire, making 11 of their first 15 shots and taking a 25-13 lead midway through the first half. Frustrated by the Highlanders' man-to-man defense, the Rainbows coughed up the ball 10 times in the first half and struggled to find an offensive flow. Still, they were able to draw fouls and converted five of six free throws to bring themselves within eight at 28-20 with just over 3 minutes to play in the first half.
But the Highlanders' defense picked off three straight passes and scored six points off turnovers in the final 2 minutes to go into the locker room up 14 at 34-20. Cunningham extended that margin when he drained his third 3-pointer of the night on the first possession of the second half, but Nash answered with a pair of his own long-range shots and cut the Highlanders' lead to eight with just over 10 minutes to play.
UCR responded with a quick 6-0 run and remained in control for the remainder, even against Hawaii's swarming fullcourt pressure in the final 5 minutes.
"Anytime you strap on your laces, you're in it to win," Nash said. "We were down and making a comeback, just inching our way back in, cutting it to eight and then nine and then it was back to 11 -- we just couldn't quite get over that hump.
"But I give Riverside the credit -- they played their butts off."
Nash added that his team will use the physical defense they faced yesterday to prepare them for their next conference game, vs. Idaho at home on Thursday.
"I don't think we've played a team that was more physical than Riverside and that is going to prepare us for what's to come," Nash said. "But we also have to have a short memory when it comes to losses. We go home now and we have to protect our home court and, being a senior, I don't want to lose any more games and I know my guys will be ready."
UC Riverside 79, Hawaii 62
Rainbow Warriors (11-14, 7-4 WAC)
fg-a |
ft-a |
rb |
pf |
pts |
a |
to |
min
|
Nitoto |
2-3 |
8-8 |
1 |
5 |
13 |
1 |
2 |
26
|
Dillinger |
2-6 |
6-8 |
1 |
4 |
10 |
2 |
3 |
38
|
Luettgerodt |
5-12 |
3-4 |
7 |
2 |
13 |
2 |
1 |
40
|
Nash |
3-11 |
4-4 |
4 |
2 |
12 |
1 |
2 |
40
|
Amis |
4-7 |
2-2 |
1 |
5 |
10 |
2 |
2 |
26
|
Campbell |
1-1 |
0-0 |
2 |
1 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
9
|
Mayen |
0-1 |
0-0 |
3 |
5 |
0 |
1 |
2 |
11
|
Owsley |
0-0 |
2-4 |
1 |
2 |
2 |
0 |
1 |
9
|
Veit |
0-0 |
0-0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1
|
TEAM |
|
|
2
|
Totals |
17-41 |
25-30 |
23 |
26 |
62 |
9 |
13 |
200 |
Highlanders (7-17)
fg-a |
ft-a |
rb |
pf |
pts |
a |
to |
min
|
Scott |
3-5 |
3-5 |
8 |
4 |
9 |
1 |
0 |
23
|
Barlow |
4-5 |
2-2 |
3 |
5 |
10 |
1 |
2 |
15
|
Diggs |
2-6 |
0-0 |
3 |
5 |
4 |
5 |
2 |
36
|
Soto |
2-5 |
6-8 |
1 |
3 |
10 |
3 |
0 |
34
|
Cunningham, L. |
10-15 |
8-8 |
6 |
4 |
31 |
2 |
1 |
30
|
Gates |
5-5 |
0-0 |
2 |
1 |
11 |
0 |
1 |
16
|
Cunningham, S. 0-3 |
1-5 |
3 |
1 |
1 |
3 |
2 |
24
|
Visman |
0-0 |
0-0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
5
|
Creppy |
1-3 |
1-2 |
2 |
0 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
17 |
|
TEAM |
|
|
2
|
Totals |
27-47 |
21-30 |
30 |
24 |
79 |
17 |
9 |
200 |
Key -- fg-a: field goals made-attempted; ft-a: free throws made-attempted; rb: rebounds; pf: personal fould; pts: total points; a: assists; to: turnovers; min: minutes played.
Halftime -- UC Riverside 34, Hawaii 20
3-point goals -- Hawaii 3-12 (Nash 2-6, Nitoto 1-2, Luettgerodt 0-1, Dillinger 0-3), UCR 4-10, (L.Cunningham 3-6, Gates 1-1, Diggs 0-1, Creppy 0-1, S.Cunningham 0-1).
Steals -- UCR 7 (Barlow 2, L.Cunningham 2, Diggs, Gates, Scott), Hawaii 2 (Amis, Nitoto). Blocked shots -- UC Riverside none, Hawaii 4 (Amis 3, Campbell).
Officials -- Officials--Stanley Reynolds, Jimmy Casas, Martin Cota. A-- 1,214.
WAC standings
|
WAC |
|
|
|
Overall |
|
W |
L |
Pct. |
GB |
W |
L
|
Boise State |
10 |
3 |
.769 |
-- |
20 |
7
|
New Mexico State |
9 |
3 |
.750 |
1/2 |
16 |
12
|
Nevada |
9 |
4 |
.692 |
1 |
17 |
10
|
Utah State |
8 |
4 |
.666 |
1 1/2 |
19 |
9
|
Hawaii |
7 |
5 |
.583 |
2 1/2 |
11 |
14
|
Fresno State |
5 |
8 |
.385 |
5 |
13 |
15
|
San Jose State |
4 |
8 |
.333 |
5 1/2 |
12 |
14
|
Idaho |
3 |
10 |
.231 |
7 |
6 |
19
|
Louisiana Tech |
1 |
11 |
.083 |
8 1/2 |
4 |
21 |
Yesterday
Southern Illinois 74, Nevada 49
UC Riverside 79, Hawai'i 62
New Mexico State 80, Long Beach State 48
Samford 73, Louisiana Tech 70
Pacific University 84, San Jose State 75
UC Irvine 69, Idaho 55
Fresno State 76, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo 70
Siena 93, Boise State 70