Tuesday, December 21, 1999
Owls are no
match for ’Bows
Alexander sparks Hawaii past
By Pat Bigold
Florida Atlantic, 87-60, in the
first round of Nike Festival
Star-BulletinThe University of Hawaii men's basketball team had to prove at least a couple of things to itself last night.
First, that it could win after a 12-day layoff and coming off an embarrassingly lopsided loss at USC and second, that it could win without suspended Bernard McIntosh.
The Rainbows (6-2) proved both to themselves by slapping around Florida Atlantic, 87-60, last night before a crowd of 3,434 at Stan Sheriff Center on the opening day of the Nike Festival.
The 'Bows put four players in double figures and scored over 80 points for the third time this season.
Hawaii, which entered the game leading Western Athletic Conference teams in shooting from the field (48 percent), shot 60 percent to the Owls' 43 percent.
The Rainbows made a season-high 37 field goals and 12 steals. They also equaled the season-high in 3-point goals with six.
"More importantly, I was looking at what we were going to do, coming off 12 days layoff, final exams and a poor showing at Southern Cal (85-56 loss)," said head coach Riley Wallace, who gained his 203rd win against 201 losses.
"We had our moments tonight. We were kind of sloppy at times. But their (Owls') game is up and down, and shooting, and we couldn't afford to get into a street game with them."
Team captain Marquette Alexander, who had a career- and game-high eight assists to go along with his 13 points and eight rebounds, said he and his teammates felt less than comfortable in the first half.
"We were kind of rusty," said Alexander, whose eight points and five assists helped stake Hawaii to a 43-28 halftime lead. "Tomorrow, we have to pick it up."
Hawaii will play Western Illinois (4-7), which hung tough with unbeaten Creighton (8-0) in a 76-72 loss yesterday, at 8 p.m.
Alexander has been Hawaii's leading scorer the past two seasons. But his above-average playmaking performance against the Owls has him second in assists on the team.
"I'm just trying to do a lot of different things," said Alexander. "Rebound, outlet, rebound, bring the ball up if I have to, help the offensive sets get started. Anything to win."
Alexander had four points and an assist in an 11-0 run that broke it open, 43-25, before the half.
The Owls cut it to 11 (43-32) as team-high scorer Marques Williams (16 points) scored the first two baskets of the half.
But Hawaii opened it to 50-34 on a 7-2 run climaxed by a Predrag Savovic to Troy Ostler jam.
The Owls came back to narrow it to 51-39 on Tony Lee's jumper. But a 13-2 run, highlighted by consecutive 3-pointers by Mike McIntyre and Nerijus Puida, gave the Rainbows a commanding 64-41 advantage.
Geremy Robinson had another one of his high-efficiency nights on offense, scoring a game-high 18 points in 22 minutes.
He was 8-for-8 from the field, including two 3-pointers, and is Hawaii's third leading scorer (9.4 ppg) and now scoring a point every 1.8 minutes he's on the court.
Ostler also had his second double-double of the season with 17 points and 10 rebounds. He also blocked three shots and made a steal.
Creighton 76, W. Illinois 72: The Bluejays rallied from a 37-36 halftime deficit as Nerijus Karlikanovas scored 15 of his game-high 17 points in the second half.
"In the second half, we started going inside to Nerijus and he made some plays and made the difference for us," said Creighton head coach Dana Altman.
Hawaii 87, Florida Atlantic 60
Owls (1-6)
fg fga ft fta min reb a tp Lee 2 9 2 2 24 4 2 6 Greisser 1 2 2 2 19 1 0 5 Hercek 5 11 1 1 33 0 4 13 Williams 8 15 0 0 33 5 0 16 Reimeris 0 0 0 0 9 1 0 0 Murphy 2 7 1 2 29 2 3 5 Skeete 1 3 0 0 20 1 0 2 Baxley 2 4 0 0 13 1 1 4 Peterkin 3 4 3 4 22 2 0 9 Team 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 Totals 24 55 9 11 200 20 10 60Rainbows (6-2)
fg fga ft fta min reb a tp Savovic 4 6 1 1 21 3 3 9 White 2 4 1 2 20 2 3 5 Puida 2 4 0 0 22 2 3 5 Ostler 7 13 3 6 29 10 0 17 Alexander 6 10 1 2 33 8 8 13 McIntyre 6 8 0 0 22 4 3 15 Takaki 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 Hall 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 Robinson 8 8 0 0 22 3 1 18 O’Connor 2 6 0 0 20 2 1 4 Fields 0 0 1 2 10 0 1 1 Holliday 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 Team 0 1 0 0 1 2 0 0 Totals 37 61 7 13 200 36 23 87Halftime-Hawaii 43, Florida Atlantic 28.3-point goals--Florida Atlantic 3-11 (Griesser 1-2, Hercek 2-6, Murphy 0-2, Skeete 0-1); UH 6-14 (Savovic 0-2, White 0-1, Puida 1-1, McIntyre 3-5, Hall 0-1, Robinson 2-2, O'Connor 0-2). Personal fouls--FP 12, UH 13. Fouled out--None. Steals--FP 8, UH 12 (McIntyre 4, White 2, Robinson 2, Puida 1, Ostler 1, Alexander 1, Fiels 1). Blocked shots--FP 1, UH 6. Turnovers--FP 23, UH 21. Officials--Rick Hartzell, Patrick Tanibe, Vinny Allen. A-6,342.
Creighton 76, Western Illinois 72
Creighton: West 3-5 1-2 9, Walker 2-6 0-0 5, Sears 4-7 4-4 16, Huss 0-1 1-2 1, Kolder 0-0 0-0 0, Taylor 5-8 0-1 11, Korver 2-4 2-2 8, Klein 0-0 0-0 0, Pyfrom 0-0 0-0 0, Haynes 1-2 3, Johnson 2-6, 2-4 6, Karlikanovas 7-12 2-2 17. Totals 26-51, 13-17 76.Western Illinois: Martinez 4-9 3-4 11, Haggins 2-5 1-3 6, Robins 4-9 0-0 10, Wessel 0-3 1-2 1, Makke 1-1 1-1 3, Heisler 6-12 2-2 17, Fosdyck 3-7 0-0 9, Chism 0-1 0-2 0, Coloneze 2-4 1-2 5, Canaday 3-3 4-6 10. Totals 25-54 13-22 72.
Halftime--Creighton 37, Western Illinois 36. 3-Point goals--Creighton 11-27 (West 1-2, Walekr 1-3, sears 4-7, Huss 0-1, Taylor 1-3, Korver 2-4, Haynes 1-2, Karlikanovas 1-5), Western Illinois 9-22 (Haggins 1-3, Robins 2-6, Wessel 0-1, Heisler 3-8, Fosdyck 3-4). Rebounds--Creighton 30 (Walker 9), Westenr Illinois 33 (Canaday 7). Assists--Creighton 17 (Walker 4), Western Illinois 16 (Haggins 4). Total fouls--Creighton 20, Western Illinois 15.
