IN BRIEF

Nash closes practice for Rainbows

For the first time this season, Hawaii basketball coach Bob Nash yesterday closed a team practice to local media and the public.

The Rainbow Warriors (9-10, 1-6 Western Athletic Conference) will get in another closed practice today before departing for road games at Louisiana Tech (Thursday) and New Mexico State (Saturday).

Nash decided some increased motivation was in order to put a halt to the team's five-game losing streak.

“;We were in a mode to be screaming a bit more at the players, trying to get them to do certain things,”; Nash said afterward. “;Hammer out some of the things we needed to work on without players feeling they needed to be embarrassed. I thought we did a good job.”;

Last-place Hawaii has averaged just 56.3 points in WAC games as opposed to 64.3 overall. The Rainbows have yet to win on the road this season in four games.

Mountain West making push for BCS

MCLEAN, Va. » The Mountain West Conference is pushing for an automatic annual entry into the Bowl Championship Series' postseason lineup, USA Today reported on its Web site last night.

The newspaper said that presidents and chancellors of the league's nine schools, along with commissioner Craig Thompson, will press for a meeting with BCS coordinator John Swofford, to discuss an automatic berth into the BCS.

“;I would not be optimistic,”; Thompson said. “;As I explained to them (the Mountain West presidents), it's a series of legal contracts among 11 conferences, four bowls, two TV partners with yet another TV partner coming in. I would not see much of a relaxation.”;

Lawyer confident of Pacquiao fight

LONDON » Ricky Hatton is close to an agreement to fight Manny Pacquiao in Las Vegas on May 2.

The fight was declared back on again Friday when Pacquiao—coming off an easy win over Oscar De La Hoya last month—signed and faxed his contract to promoter Top Rank in Las Vegas. Hatton's lawyer, Gareth Williams, said yesterday the British fighter planned to sign it within days.

The fight initially was in doubt over a dispute over how the purse would be split, but Pacquiao is believed to have agreed to a change.

“;It won't be a problem and we'll announce the fight at a press conference on Thursday,”; Williams said. “;All the pressure is off now.”;

PACWEST PLACE

Wily, Seasiders beat Urban Knights

Brigham Young-Hawaii defeated Academy of Art (Calif.) 80-64 in a nonconference women's basketball game in Laie last night.

Latoya Wily scored 24 points and added six rebounds and six assists to lead the Seasiders, who improved to 8-7 (2-2 PacWest).

Rachel Fenenbock added 21 points on 8-for-13 shooting, including five 3-pointers. Levalasi Key led the Urban Knights (4-16) with 22 points.

» The BYUH men routed Academy of Art 107-67 after the women's game.

Lucas Alves led the Seasiders, who improved to 13-1 (4-0 PacWest), with 21 points.

» Chaminade junior guard Noah Gottlieb nabbed the Pacific West Conference player of the week honor for leading the Silverswords to a 3-0 record last week.

Gottlieb, from Los Angeles, averaged 13.3 points and 7.7 rebounds over three contests.

He ranked second for the week among league shooters, making 65.2 percent of his field-goal attempts (15-for-23), and also ranked second in assists, handing out 6.67 per game.