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RAINBOW BASKETBALL NOTEBOOK

UH to let it ride
in Reno

Familiarity breeds ... no excuses.

The Hawaii basketball team is in the unusual position of playing the same team, Nevada, twice in a row because of a scheduling quirk due to the game at Fresno State being nationally televised.

UH was to originally have played at Fresno State on Thursday and Nevada on Saturday. But because of the WAC's television contract with Fox, the games had to be reversed and the FSU game moved to Sunday.

So the Rainbows know the Wolf Pack's schemes well now, since UH has been preparing for the same team since last Friday and experienced it first-hand in a game last Saturday.

"It should make things easier," Hawaii coach Riley Wallace said. "We know what we've got to do because we've been through it. We know we've got to get up and down the court, stop their transition and help out on penetration."

Wallace said the Rainbows need to stop point guard Andre Hazel, perhaps the fastest player in the league.

Hazel did not shoot well (1-for-6 with four points) in UH's 76-69 victory over the Wolf Pack on Saturday at the Stan Sheriff Center. But Hazel led the Nevada fast break and helped key its slashing attacks at the basket that pushed UH to the limit.

The Rainbows also worked extensively on their zone offenses yesterday, another key if they are to win their first road game of the season after five losses.

Stats and stuff

Freshman post Phil Martin still leads the WAC with a 65.2 field goal percentage. ... Junior guard Predrag Savovic continues to lead UH in scoring at 17.4 ppg, and is sixth in the WAC.

Tip-ins

Texas-El Paso center Brian Stewart was named the WAC player of the week. Stewart averaged 20 points and 12.5 rebounds in victories over Rice and Texas Christian. Other nominees were Savovic, who scored 26 points in UH's 91-73 victory over Fresno State, and TCU center Derrick Davenport. ... The Rainbows ended yesterday's practice on a high note, as Mindaugas Burneika made 4-of-5 free throws and Carl English 5-of-5 in a drill in which the team runs the length of the court for each missed free throw. Haim Shimonovich then made a "double-or-nothing" shot, and the team didn't have to run at all. ... The Rainbows fly out tomorrow morning for Reno. After Thursday's game they plan to bus it to Fresno on Friday.

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Dave Reardon, Star-Bulletin