Rainbow playbook
vs. Brigham Young Cougars
Coach: Steve Cleveland (2nd season, 15-29).
Season: 6-8 (1-1 WAC).
Top players: Mark Bigelow, 6-6 freshman guard (15.9 points per game, 7.4 rebounds per game); Michael Vranes, 6-3 freshman guard (12.1 ppg); Nathan Cooper, 6-5 sophomore forward (10.7 ppg, 5.1 rpg); 6-9 sophomore forward Mekeli Wesley (8.4 ppg) has started four games after serving a nine-game suspension for an honors code violation.
Interesting facts: This will be the last time the Cougars visit as a member of the WAC. They will secede with seven other teams to form the Mountain West Conference next year ... Since the 1988-89 season, Hawaii has won 11 of 21 games with the Cougars. Seven of each team's wins were by five points or less ... Thursday night's win at San Diego State was the Cougars' first road win of the season ... Wesley has relatives in Laie. He led Provo High into the finals of the 1996 Iolani Prep Classic.
Keys to the game: Five of Hawaii's losses have come in games the Rainbows were leading at the half ... Marquette Alexander leads the Rainbows in scoring with 11.9 ppg ... Hawaii has outshot opponents from the field, 45.6 percent to 43.4 percent. But the Rainbows have averaged 18.1 turnovers per game....BYU is averaging 43.1 percent from the field. But the Cougars average 70 ppg to Hawaii's 62.6 ... The Cougars lost last season's top scorer, Ron Selleaze, to an honors code violation.
Tipoff: 7:07 p.m., tonight, at the Stan Sheriff Center
On the air: Live on KFVE-TV (Channel 5) and KCCN radio (1420-AM)
Wahine playbook
vs. Utah Utes
Coach: Elaine Elliott (16th season, 312-137).
Season: 10-4 (1-1 WAC).
Top players: Erin Gibbons, 5-9 freshman guard (11.9 points per game); Lori Red, 5-11 sophomore forward (11.2 ppg, 5.3 rebounds per game); Lauren Beckman, 6-2 freshman forward (11.3 ppg, 7.2 rpg); Tiana Fuertes, 5-3 junior guard (6.7 ppg, 3.9 assists per game).
Interesting facts: Fuertes and UH point guard BJ Itoman were teammates at Iolani. Both led the Raiders to state girls' basketball titles their senior years ... Gibbons was the 1998 Canadian high school player of the year ... Hawaii leads the series, 1-0. The only meeting was in 1981 at Utah ... The Wahine received five votes and are tied for 36th place in the latest ESPN/USA Today Coaches poll; Utah received two votes and is tied for 45th place.
Keys to the game: Shooting better may help the Wahine rebound from a disappointing mainland debut Thursday against BYU ... The Utes lost five seniors (four starters) but recruited several outstanding freshmen, the best being Gibbons, a proficient 3-point shooter, hitting 36 percent (26-of-72). Beckman averages two blocked shots per game (23rd nationally) coming off the bench ... The Wahine again will be at a height disadvantage and have to crash the boards, specifically to limit the Utes' offensive rebounds ... UH allows 59.9 ppg and needs to hold Utah (68.8) to that average ... Both teams are young, so a sudden display of maturity in a tight game would benefit either team.
Tipoff: 9 a.m. Hawaii time at the Huntsman Center
On the air: Live on KCCN radio (1420-AM)
