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Tuesday, February 20, 2001
Another week, and another Western Athletic Conference player of the week for the University of Hawaii basketball team to contend with. RAINBOW BASKETBALL NOTEBOOK
Horned Frogs
turn to BingoUH (12-12, 6-7 WAC) plays TCU (18-8, 7-5) on Thursday in the Rainbows' last home game of the regular season.
Texas Christian forward Bingo Merriex stepped up for the Horned Frogs last week. He averaged 26.0 points and 8.5 rebounds in wins over Fresno State and Nevada. Last week, Hawaii played Southern Methodist and reigning player of the week Jeryl Sasser.
The Horned Frogs will play without starting guard Greedy Daniels and forward Myron Anthony, who were kicked off the team last week by coach Billy Tubbs for unspecified reasons.
The Rainbows spent a short practice yesterday morning working mostly on how to stop the athletic Merriex (9.9 ppg), forward Ryan Carroll (17.4) and center Derrick Davenport (14.4).
When the teams met Jan. 4 in Hawaii's first WAC road game, TCU won, 103-64.
UH led late in the first half, but got into a shootout with TCU. The Rainbows must continue to be patient on offense if they are to beat the Horned Frogs.
Aloha seniors
Forwards Lane O'Connor and Nerijus Puida and posts Todd Fields and Troy Ostler play their final home game as Rainbows on Thursday.Each senior will take a final shot following the game, and there will be an autograph session involving the entire team.
Coaches vs. Cancer
Merchant Street fronting Murphy's Bar & Grill will be cordoned off between Bethel and Nuuanu for a basketball block party tonight from 5:30 to 9 p.m..There will be a 3-point shot contest, games, live music and a silent auction. At 7, the party moves inside Murphy's for a hosted party and the main auction. Tickets are $35, and proceeds go to Coaches vs. Cancer and the UH basketball scholarship endowment fund.
Stats and stuff
UH freshman post Phil Martin still leads the WAC with a 64.2 field goal percentage. ... TCU averages a league-leading 94.7 points-per-game, but gives up 80.4, which is worst in the conference. ... TCU leads the WAC in scoring margin at plus-14.3. Hawaii is last at minus-2.2.
Injury report
No timetable has been set for the return of freshman point guard Jeep Hilton. Hilton twisted his right ankle in practice last Wednesday. Since then, he has not practiced, but has received therapy and ridden an exercise bike.Hawaii committed only 10 turnovers -- tying the game-low for the season -- in each of the two games Hilton has missed since his injury.
Tip-ins
UH assistant coach Jackson Wheeler returned yesterday from a two-week recruiting trip. Wheeler can't talk about it, but word is the Rainbows are searching intently for point guard candidates from the junior college ranks. ... Saturday's 53-point yield to Rice is the fewest points the Rainbows have allowed in a game since they beat Pacific, 72-42, on Dec. 5, 1999. ... The WAC is ranked seventh among all Division I basketball leagues, according to a composite index released yesterday. The Conference Composite Index uses 13 different computer rankings polls to develop a single ranking.
Dave Reardon, Star-Bulletin
UH Athletics
Ka Leo O Hawaii
