Advertisement - Click to support our sponsors.
Tuesday, January 2, 2001
‘Greedy’ TCU What is it with TCU and great names?
has solid
‘Nucleus’
RAINBOWS NOTEBOOK
Dave Reardon
Star-BulletinCoach Billy Tubbs has players who answer to Greedy (Daniels), Bingo (Merriex), Rebel (Paulk) and Nucleus (Smith). And they're all Horned Frogs.
Daniels, a 6-foot-1 junior guard, lived up to his nickname with a school-record 12 steals in TCU's 130-71 romp over Arkansas-Pine Bluff on Saturday. That prompted Tubbs to compare Daniels to another all-name -- and All-America -- type: Mookie Blaylock, whom Tubbs coached at Oklahoma.
Daniels, named WAC Player of the Week today, has helped the Frogs (10-3) to an NCAA-Division I-leading 100.5 points-per-game.
Hawaii might appear ill-equipped for a Texas-style shootout when the Rainbows come calling Thursday in the teams' WAC opener at Fort Worth. But coach Riley Wallace said UH (6-5) needs to run to win -- run, but run smart.
"If we get layups we'll take it, if not, be patient in our offense. We don't want to quick-shoot with them, because they just want to outscore you, and they're very good at it," he said.
"They'll pressure you and trap you, try to get you to take bad shots. That's their game."
UH's chances will be much better if guard Mike McIntyre and post Troy Ostler are back to full-speed. They account for a combined 23.9 points and 8.7 rebounds a game.
Both are nursing sprained ankles. Neither practiced yesterday; they took turns on an exercise bike.
Haim to the rescue?
Word was expected as early as today from the NCAA regarding the eligibility of Haim Shimonovic, Wallace said. The 6-10 freshman did not fly to Dallas with the team today, but arrangements have been made so Shimonovic could join the Rainbows as quickly as possible.Shimonovic has been held out of play since the beginning of the season, when questions were raised regarding his eligibility.
Stats and stuff
Among players with 40 or more attempts, freshman post Phil Martin is second in NCAA Division I with his 73.1 shooting percentage from the floor. He trails only Tennessee's Charles Hathaway, who is at 76.1.Despite a Rainbow Classic in which he played hurt in two games, Ostler remains UH's leader in per-game scoring (16.2) and rebounding (7.2). He also leads the Rainbows in blocks with 1.6. Guard Predrag Savovic is right behind Ostler in scoring at 15.9.
Forward Nerijus Puida remains the team assist leader with 5.5. Savovic paces UH in steals at 1.3, with guard Jeep Hilton closing in at 1.1.
Forward Mindaugas Burneika leads UH in 3-point shooting at 9-for-16 (.562) after going 6-for-9 from long range in the Classic, and is third in the conference.
Forward Lane O'Connor is listed at the top of the WAC stats for free throw shooting at 100 percent (4-for-4).
Texas connection
The trip is a homecoming for senior post Todd Fields. Fields is from Mesquite, a suburb of Dallas. "I get to see everybody," he said. "My mom, grandparents ... and my sister is coming from Chicago to see the games." ... Burneika and Puida (as well as Burneika's girlfriend Janka Gabrielova and Puida's wife, Dainora, both from the UH women's team) played at Weatherford College in Texas. Burneika was recruited by TCU.
Tip-ins
Former Punahou and Loyola-Marymount standout, UH assistant and local prep coach Darryl Gabriel fills in for Artie Wilson as analyst in KFVE's telecasts of this week's games. Wilson has work and personal commitments in Hawaii. ... The Rainbows, who open their WAC season on the road for the fourth-consecutive season, visit SMU on Saturday after the TCU opener, and return home Sunday at 6:16 p.m., aboard United flight 55 from Los Angeles. ... UTEP -- with WAC leading-scorer Brandon Wolfram -- and Tulsa come to the Stan Sheriff Center for games Jan. 11 and 13.
UH Athletics
Ka Leo O Hawaii
