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Saturday, March 11, 2000
Rice ousts
Wahine in semis
A no-call spells the
Pat Bigold
end for Hawaii
Star-BulletinFRESNO, Calif. -- Vince Goo was never more certain about anything in his life.
"She WAS fouled,'' said the University of Hawaii women's basketball coach.
The Wahine's NCAA Tournament hopes may have come down to the last 2.3 seconds and a foul near the baseline that wasn't called on a shot attempt by Hedy Liu.
Instead of preparing for today's Western Athletic Conference championship game against SMU, Hawaii was left to think about a very bitter 76-73 semifinal loss to Rice yesterday at Selland Arena.
"This game was very, very pivotal as far as looking at a NCAA berth," said Goo. "Hawaii would've been in the championship game and two (WAC) teams would've gone to the NCAA.
"But it comes down to 2.3 seconds, and that could cost us a berth. This team in green and white deserves to be in the tournament."
The Wahine (20-8)) will learn their postseason fate tomorrow when the 64-team NCAA field is announced. If not selected for the Big Dance, Hawaii likely will go to the 32-team WNIT. Hawaii last went to the NCAA Tournament in 1998.
Yesterday's game saw the Wahine smash the WAC women's tournament record for free throws made and attempted in a game (36 of 42).
With the Wahine trailing Rice, 74-73, with 11 seconds left, Liu's steal of a Marla Brumfield pass to Kirra Jordan in the low post gave Hawaii an opportunity to pull out the win.
Raylene Howard inbounded from midcourt to Kylie Galloway, who passed back to Howard in the corner. But Howard, the WAC's leading scorer, opted not to take the shot in a play designed for her.
She instead passed to Hedy Liu on the baseline for what she thought was a higher percentage jumper.
That's when it happened. Or didn't happen.
Rice's 5-foot-10 Kim Smallwood came across the 5-11 Liu's body and hit her arm in an attempt to block the shot. Liu fell down and her shot ricocheted off the side of the glass into the hands of Smallwood, who was then fouled by Howard.
"There was a ref standing on the baseline but I don't know what he was looking at," said Liu, frustrated over the no-call. "She (Smallwood) got everything - the ball and me - when she came across."
Howard went for the ball and fouled Smallwood, who made two free throws that iced the win for Rice.
The Owls (20-9) were to meet Southern Methodist (21-7) today (9 a.m. HST) for the WAC championship.
"We wanted Raylene to shoot but the jump shot from the short corner is Hedy's best shot,'' said Goo. "And when she (Liu) shoots it off the corner of the backboard and goes down to the floor, well something interfered with her.
"She got fouled across the arm. The official scorer saw it on the monitor and told me."
Rice head coach Cristy McKinney said she didn't think Smallwood committed a foul against Liu.
"I think Kim went up and challenged the shot and that's what we wanted to,'' said McKinney. "I didn't see Kim swat down. I didn't see her come down on her (Liu's) arm."
Howard had 16 points, Crystal Lee had 15 points and six rebounds while Liu had 10 points and six rebounds.
SMU 58, Tulsa 46:
D'dra Rucker scored 19 points and Karlin Kennedy added 12 as the Mustangs advanced to the finals.Lila Osceola led three Golden Hurricane players in double figures with 14 points.
Rice 76, Hawaii 73
Lady Owls (20-9 overall)
FG FGA FT FTA REB A TP MIN Smallwood 2 3 2 2 7 1 6 19 Jordan 7 13 5 5 6 1 19 30 Tuttle 3 5 2 2 6 3 8 23 Lawson 2 3 1 2 2 3 5 30 Brumfield 5 12 8 9 5 3 18 38 Liggett 2 5 0 0 2 1 5 11 McIntosh 2 5 4 6 3 0 8 19 Cafferty 2 9 2 2 0 0 7 25 Bracken 0 0 0 0 2 1 0 4 Florus 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 Team 3 Totals 25 55 24 28 36 13 76 200
Wahine (20-8 overall)
FG FGA FT FTA REB A TP MIN Galloway 3 9 11 12 3 2 18 9 Howard 5 9 6 6 2 2 16 9 Liu 5 8 0 1 6 0 10 11 Lee 4 13 7 7 6 2 15 12 Evers 0 5 9 10 3 3 9 7 Forsberg 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 McMeeken-Rusc 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 9 Kohler 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 Roper 1 1 0 0 1 0 2 6 .Puida 0 0 3 6 1 0 3 4 Team 3 Totals 18 45 36 42 25 9 73 200 Key--fg: field goals; fga: field goals attempted; ft: free throws; fta: free throws attempted; min: minutes; reb: rebounds; a: assists; tp: total points.
Halftime score-Rice 40, Hawaii 29
3-point goals-Rice 2-9 (Cafferty 1-7, Liggett 1-2), UH 1-7 (Galloway 1-1, Lee 0-3, Evers 0-2, Howard 0-1). Personal fouls-Rice 30, Hawaii 22. Fouled out-Tuttle, McIntosh. Steals-Rice 10 (Brumfield 4, McIntosh, Lawson 2, Jordan, Liggett), Hawaii 5 (Galloway 3, Liu, Lee). Blocked shots-Rice 3 (Tuttle 2, Smallwood), Hawaii 2 (Roper, Galloway). Turnovers-Rice 20, Hawaii 21. Technicals-none. Officials-Yarbrough, Barlow, Larson. A-1,051.
WAC CHAMPIONSHIPS
Men
SemifinalsFresno St. 103, Hawaii 100 (2 OT)
Tulsa 93, TCU 71
Women
SemifinalsRice 76, Hawaii 73
SMU 58, Tulsa 46
UH Athletics
Ka Leo O Hawaii
