Little rest for UH’s
Johnny White
By Pat Bigold
Star-Bulletin
There were some questions after Wednesday's loss to Southern Methodist about why starting senior point guard Johnny White wasn't benched for lack of production and his five turnovers.
But Hawaii head coach Riley Wallace said the fact is that White is the Rainbows' only pure point guard, and sophomore backup Mike McIntyre doesn't handle the ball well against the kind of pressure defense the Mustangs were using.
That's why White, who is averaging 29.4 minutes a game, played all 40 minutes for the first time this season.
He went the distance eight times last season.
Texas Christian, Hawaii's opponent tonight at the Stan Sheriff Center, is also expected to use pressure. Asked if that means White will have to go another 40 minutes, Wallace said, "I hope not, but if he has to, he will."
White averaged 37 minutes last year.
White is scoring 7.8 points per game and averaging 3.3 assists.
WAC standings
Conference Overall
W L Pct. W L Pct.
SMU 2 0 1.000 14 2 .875
Tulsa 1 0 1.000 15 1 .938
UTEP 1 0 1.000 10 4 .714
TCU 1 1 .500 10 8 .556
Fresno St. 0 0 -- 10 6 .625
SJSU 0 1 .000 9 7 .563
Rice 0 1 .000 4 8 .333
Hawaii 0 2 .000 11 4 .733
Today's games
TCU at Hawaii
SMU at San Jose State
UTEP at Fresno State
Tomorrow's games
Tulsa at Rice
RAINBOW PLAYBOOK
vs. Texas Christian
Coaches: Hawaii, Riley Wallace, 13th year (208-203 career). TCU, Billy Tubbs, 6th year (550-264 career).
Season record: Hawaii (0-2 WAC, 11-4), TCU (1-1 WAC, 10-8)
Top players: Hawaii, 6-8 Sr. C. Marquette Alexander (14.1 ppg, 7.5 rpg, 2.0 apg), 6-6 So. G Predrag Savovic (11.5 ppg, 39 percent 3-point shooter, 78 percent free throw shooter), 6-1 Sr. G Johnny White (7.8 ppg, 3.3 apg), 6-9 Jr. F Troy Ostler (12.1 ppg, 7.1 rpg, 1.6 bpg), 6-5 Jr. F Nerijus Puida (6.6 ppg, 5.0 apg, 57 percent from the floor, 76 percent from the line). TCU, 6-9 Sr. F Marquise Gainous (17.7 ppg, 7.5 rpg, 47 percent from the floor), 6-6 Jr. F Myron Anthony (17.8 ppg, 10.1 rpg, 1.6 apg, 59 percent from the floor), 6-4 Jr. G Ryan Carroll (16.3 ppg, 5.1 rpg), 6-2 Jr. G Estell Laster (13.3 ppg, 4.6 rpg, 3.7 apg), 6-10 Jr. C. Derrick Davenport (12.8 ppg, 6.4 rpg, 3.05 bpg).
Interesting facts: Alexander's 24 points against Southern Methodist were a season high while 6-7 junior forward Bernard McIntosh's 16 off the bench in that game marked his Div. I career high...Alexander has scored in double digits for 10 straight games and in all but two of Hawaii's 15 games...TCU leads the nation in scoring average (90.3 points per game), but is last in the WAC in scoring defense (84.4 points per game allowed). The Rainbows are 4th in the WAC in that category (65.1 points allowed per game)...Hawaii's scoring average is 73.4 points.
Coach's quote -- Wallace, on how opponents approach Hawaii's offense: "People who scout us say our offensive execution is good and they can't beat us if they try to play us straight-up, man-to-man. So, some will test us with zone and some will trap."
Ticket prices: $14 lower, $10 upper, $7 student, $10 wheelchair adult, $7 wheelchair student.
Tipoff: Today, 7:05 p.m., Stan Sheriff Center.
On the air: KFVE TV Channel 5 and KCCN radio (1420 AM).
RealAudio: Click here
By Pat Bigold, Star-Bulletin
http://uhathletics.hawaii.edu
Ka Leo O Hawaii
