Wednesday, November 7, 2001

[ UH WARRIOR FOOTBALL ]

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Travel may determine
wide-open WAC race

Fresno State is favored, but coaches
believe that the best road team
will finish the season on top

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By Cindy Luis
cluis@starbulletin.com

Schools have come and gone during its previous 39 years of existence, but one constant has remained in the Western Athletic Conference. It is a tough league to win.

In its current incarnation, the 10-member conference now stretches from Hawaii to Louisiana, from Idaho to Texas. And, as the men's basketball coaches know, hitting the road usually means that the road will hit back.

"The key, as always, will be to win at home and steal some games on the road," said Tulsa coach John Phillips, the school's fifth new head coach since 1991. "The WAC is a tough place to play. Some of the teams like Rice, San Jose and Hawaii may not be respected in national circles but those are very tough places to play.

"Everyone anticipates Fresno being the champion but it's going to be a dogfight at the top, middle and the bottom."

During the coaches' teleconference call yesterday with WAC media, no one was being counted out. Fresno State was the runaway winner in the preseason poll but even No. 10 Nevada is respected for being a tough team at home.

"All the coaches pretty much say the same thing," said Keith Richard, coach of newcomer Louisiana Tech. "They told me we had a chance to compete, but the challenge is to win on the road.

"We've been a good team in the Sun Belt, where you could clip some of the bottom teams. But I don't know if you can do it in this league."

"Everyone talks about the travel and we know better than anyone else," Hawaii coach Riley Wallace said. "People complain about making the trip (out here) once a year. We do it every other week. It is a factor for everyone."

Besides travel concerns, the coaches have injuries and eligibility questions in common. Among them:

Will junior transfer Chris Sandy, penciled in to start at point guard, be eligible at Fresno State?

Will Hawaii's Predrag Savovic have to sit out any games?

Will newcomers Louisiana Tech and Boise State be the sleepers they were in football?

And will San Jose State's Carleton "Oudie" Baker, a junior transfer tabbed as the WAC's Newcomer of the Year, return to school after leaving to take care of a younger sister in Indiana?

It's anyone's guess at this point. The season starts next week. And so does the ride ... a lot of long ones.

A look at the teams in order of the preseason poll:

1. FRESNO STATE

The Bulldogs are again receiving plenty of attention, some of it not the kind that coach Jerry Tarkanian particularly cares for. Sandy, a juco all-American, is under investigation for some paperwork irregularities.

Even without him, the defending regular-season champions are loaded. Back for his final year is senior center Melvin Ely, last year's WAC player of the year.

Ely and senior forward Chris Jefferies are legitimate first-round NBA picks. The Bulldogs will miss the departed Demetrius Porter at shooting guard ... but not much. Junior Travis DeManby, the team's top 3-point shooter last year and top sixth man, likely will start for what Tarkanian is calling his best team ever in his seven years at the school.

The Bulldogs won their exhibition game against Global Sports last Sunday and face the Gear Hog All-Stars tonight in Fresno. They open the season in the Preseason NIT next Tuesday at home against Montana State.

2. HAWAII

Wallace is more relaxed than he has been in several years. He likes his team, the work ethic and his recruiting class. He also has two teams practicing -- one with senior Predrag Savovic, the other without.

It all depends on the NCAA eligibility ruling, expected sometime in the next 10 days.

The Rainbows have also been hit by injuries. Sophomore forward Phil Martin (ankle sprain) had his walking cast removed yesterday and is out for at least another two weeks. Senior forward Mindaugas Burneika is back after battling an ankle strain and infection from a bug bite.

"The new guys are playing well and the returnees are doing a good job of teaching them the offense," Wallace said. "Practices have been going very well."

Wallace is particularly high on junior transfers Luc-Arthur Vebobe, a 6-9 forward; 6-11 forward Milos Zivanovic; and 6-4 guard Mark Campbell, who likely will start at point guard.

The Rainbows expect to use a four-guard rotation, with Campbell, senior Mike McIntyre, Savovic and sophomore Carl English.

Hawaii's exhibition game is Sunday against EA Sports West All-Stars. The Rainbows open the season a week from Friday in the Nike Tip-Off against Norfolk State.

3. TULSA

The defending NIT champions are currently without last year's leading scorer and rebounder Kevin Johnson (foot injury) but are still in good shape with their returning backcourt duo of Dante Swanson and Greg Harrington. The latter led the WAC in 3-point shooting percentage.

Tulsa has eight returning players from last year's NIT championship team, and Phillips brought in two reminders of past glory: Assistant coaches Kwanza Johnson and Alvin Williamson, who were on Tulsa's Sweet 16 teams in the mid-1990s.

"I think the league is very balanced this year," said Phillips. "I expect the winner to lose 5-7 games. It's an interesting conference. Usually the team who can win .500 of road games will win it."

Tulsa beat Athletes First last Sunday and faces Worldwide Foreign on Sunday before hosting Grambling State Nov. 19 in the season opener.

4. TEXAS-EL PASO

Coach Jason Rabedeaux and the Miners are coming off a 23-9 season, the best in 10 years. He has eight of nine players back from the team that reached the NIT's Sweet 16, including three double-figure scorers: senior guard Eugene Costello, senior center Brian Stewart and junior forward Roy Smallwood.

The biggest challenge may not be replacing all-conference forward Brandon Wolfram. It could be the travel, with the additional trips to Boise State and Louisiana Tech.

"I think you can use the analogy of how the football season is going," said Rabedeaux. "I lot of people didn't know about Boise and Tech, and they're in first place.

"Fresno, Tulsa and SMU will be tough. Hawaii will be a great challenge, and I think the darkhorse is Louisiana Tech.

"Our league is difficult. The travel is brutal, it's well-coached from top to bottom and we have good players. It will be a tussle right down to the end."

The Miners beat Basketball Travellers last week and take on EA Sports on Nov. 13. Their season opener is the Las Vegas Classic against Arkansas-Monticello on Nov. 16.

5. SMU

The Mustangs are hurting, according to coach Mike Dement. He has eight new players and is sorely missing four-year stalwarts Jeryl Sasser and Willie Davis.

At the moment, SMU is without sophomore guard Lavardicus Atkins and freshman guard Brian Miller. Junior center Nigel Smith is questionable for another week.

Still, the Mustangs were able to beat EA Sports with solid performances from all-WAC guards Damon Hancock and Quinton Ross.

SMU faces Sports Tours tonight and opens the season next Friday with Savannah State.

"We're still trying to figure out who will be playing for us," said Dement. "I'm more worried about getting ready for the nonconference than conference.

"But the WAC will have another balanced year, maybe more balanced than a year ago."

6. LOUISIANA TECH

The Bulldogs have their top four scorers back from last season but are expecting a tough transition year.

"I'm pleased with what we've been doing," said Keith Richard. "I like our depth, I like our team. I just don't know what it means in these uncharted waters of a new league."

Senior guard Gerrod Henderson is expected to contend for all-WAC honors. Backing him up, the Bulldogs have a veteran duo of forward Antonio Meeking and guard Marco Cole.

The Bulldogs defeated Spirit Express last Sunday and may have the toughest opener of all WAC teams when they visit Iowa on Nov. 17.

7. SAN JOSE STATE

The Spartans lost four seniors who averaged double-figures, but gained several talented newcomers. They may be without the best, however, in Baker.

The 6-6 forward was one of the Top 40 junior college players last season, averaging 22 points a game, and was picked as the WAC's Newcomer of the Year.

"We feel good about our recruiting class, but they're all new to the system," said assistant coach Patrick Springer. "A lot rides on Baker."

Without him, the Spartans downed Global Sports on Monday. Newcomers Phil Calvert, Gary Black and Moises Alvarez each scored in double figures and combined for 37 points.

SJSU hosts Korabel Sunday in an exhibition, then hosts the BCA Invitational, opening the season with Fairleigh Dickinson next Wednesday.

8. BOISE STATE

The Broncos will be adjusting to their third conference in six years and expect some growing pains when moving to the WAC.

But they should fit right in, with a run-and-gun style that averaged 72 points a game last year. Leading the way is senior Abe Jackson, who already has a school-record 83 3-pointers. Coach Rod Jensen has four starters back but a lot have been plagued with offseason injuries.

"We have a nice home-court advantage," said Jensen, "but when you look up and down the league, there's a lot of tough places to play.

"This is a whole new learning curve for us and the travel, my gosh, it's amazing the miles we'll put on this year.

The Broncos stay home for two exhibitions, Brisbane Capitals tomorrow and Albertson College on Nov. 13. They open the season hosting Portland State on Nov. 17, then embark on a nonconference schedule that includes games at Utah, Idaho, Eastern Washington and San Diego.

9. RICE

The Owls have had great practices, according to coach Willis Wilson. But replacing all-conference guard Mike Wilks will take a lot of work.

Wilson expects to do "a lot by committee. We will count on different guys on different nights."

Rice has 10 players back, including three starters. Wilson is counting on the return of center T.J. McKenzie, the team's leading rebounder before tearing his ACL last January.

The Owls were 11-6 with their 6-11 center, 3-10 without him.

10. NEVADA

Out of the fire and into the frying pan? That about sums it up for last year's WAC newcomer. Nevada has four starters back from a very young team that took its lumps its first season out of the Big West.

"We're a little banged up right now," said coach Trent Johnson. "We only had eight suit up against Global (a win last week) and played seven."

But six of those scored in double figures, led by sophomore guard Garry Hill-Thomas with 16 and sophomore guard Andre Hazel with 13. Last year's leading scorer, Terrence Green, the nephew of NBA veteran A.C. Green, returns for his junior season.

"We will be pretty solid in the half-court," said Johnson. "We don't have a top player, we have 8-9 pretty solid guys.

"Youth will not be an excuse this year but our margin of error is pretty slim."

Nevada hosts Next Level Sports in an exhibition Friday then travels to Cal State Northridge to open the season Nov. 17.

PRESEASON WAC POLL The preseason Western Athletic Conference poll and individual honors, as voted by the media. First-place votes in parenthesis. 1. Fresno St., 114 points (11) 2. Hawaii, 98 (1) 3. Tulsa, 96 (1) 4. Texas-El Paso, 79 5. Southern Methodist, 60 6. Louisiana Tech, 53 7. San Jose St., 37 8. Boise St., 31 9. Rice, 16 10. Nevada, 14 ALL-WAC TEAM: Hawaii: Predrag Savovic; Fresno State: Melvin Ely, Chris Jefferies; SMU: Damon Hancock; Tulsa: Kevin Johnson. PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Melvin Ely, Fresno State NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR Carlton Baker, San Jose State

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