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Keeping Score
RILEY Wallace can die happy. Almost. The coach of the University of Hawaii men's basketball team has a list of hoop shrines that he not only wants to visit but to compete at. A hallowed place
loses some lusterCross No. 1 off the list.
Wallace finally got to take a team to Pauley Pavilion. However, Saturday's outcome against UCLA wasn't what he had hoped for -- the Rainbows played a sloppy final minute in losing to the Bruins, 84-64.
It was disappointing to Wallace and to the rest of the Rainbow coaches because the game was very winnable. Despite being down by as many as 21 early in the second half, Hawaii closed to within 11 several times late in the game.
A few made free throws here, a few less turnovers there, a true point guard in the lineup, and the Rainbows would have had a real shot at knocking off UCLA. But Hawaii lost its composure and focus toward the end; what should have been maybe an 8- to 10-point defeat went down in the books as a 20-point blowout.
Get the 'Bows a point guard, some more playing time together, and perhaps Wallace will make it to No. 2 on his list: Madison Square Garden.
Although Wallace didn't speak with John Wooden on Saturday, the retired UCLA coaching legend was in the stands. He left at halftime after signing many autographs.
"He's 'The Man,' '' said Wallace. "He's the one who made college basketball what it is.
"Regardless of how well the team is doing. UCLA will always be UCLA. It will always be the premier program in my mind. And when you think of all the top places for college basketball ... Allen Field House (Kansas), the Dean Dome (North Carolina), Rupp Arena (Kentucky) ... when you start at the top, it's Pauley.''
SO true. It was with mixed feelings that I watched Hawaii play my alma mater. I've covered the Rainbows off and on for some 17 seasons.
Can you ever go home again? Not really. It felt more like watching "It's a Wonderful Life.'' And realizing how wonderful it was to be a student during the Wooden era.
It was appalling to see the student section more than half empty Saturday. When I was in school in the '70s, we spent the night outside Pauley for the privilege of rushing into the bleachers hours ahead of gametime to pack the place.
Finals week? Heck, you brought along textbooks to pull an all-nighter and hoped that your friends would hold your space in line while you rushed off to take the test.
As my transcripts will attest, I spent many more nights in Pauley than Powell Library. Even played for a few intramural basketball championships in there.
So I didn't make Phi Beta Kappa; I did make it to San Diego for the Bruins' last NCAA title under Wooden. And to his retirement party a few months later.
There are no regrets. Except to see that Pauley is not the intimidating place it used to be.
During my four years, UCLA went 67-3 at home. The Bruins were 117-2 in their first eight seasons at Pauley, both losses coming to rival Southern Cal.
Nowadays, even a Cal State Northridge isn't bothered or bullied by a tradition that has lost a little something in the past 25 years.
It was a privilege to sit with the Advertiser's Stephen Tsai as he covered his last sports event for the morning paper. It was a fitting end to his sportswriting career. (He takes over as assistant city editor today).
As Wallace said, Pauley will always be Pauley. Tsai has Wooden's autograph to prove it.
Cindy Luis is Star-Bulletin sports editor.
Her column appears periodically.
Email Cindy: cluis@starbulletin.com