Tuesday, February 19, 2002

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Hawaii and Tulsa
clash for top

Wallace hopes for at least
1 sellout as the Rainbows prepare
for their final 2 home games

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By Cindy Luis
cluis@starbulletin.com

It's rarefied air, the air up there, at the top of the Western Athletic Conference basketball standings. Hawaii's best regular-season record was 12-4, earning the Rainbows a share of the Pacific Division title in 1996-97.

This week is pretty heady, as well, for Hawaii. The Rainbows (12-2, 21-4) have a chance to eclipse that mark as well as take control of the title race. First place is on the line Thursday with current conference leader Tulsa (13-2, 22-4) in town to avenge its only home loss of the regular season.

"It's not the biggest game I've coached here, there have been bigger ones," said Rainbow coach Riley Wallace, in his 15th season at Manoa. "But we've never been in this position, never been this far up in the standings this late in the season.

"I think we've probably got the toughest schedule (in the WAC) to finish out the year. Three out of our last four are very tough ballgames. I'm sure Louisiana Tech is saying, 'Hey, we've just got to hang in there because Hawaii could lose three games."

WAC newcomer LaTech is currently third at 10-4. Hawaii finishes the regular season with Tulsa on Thursday and seventh-place Rice (4-11) on Saturday at home, then goes on the road for games at Nevada (8-6) and Fresno State (8-6).

Wallace said he is hoping that there will be at least one sellout his week as his three seniors -- Predrag Savovic, Mike McIntyre and Mindaugas Burneika -- conclude their home careers. The top crowd this season was for Fresno State on Dec. 27, a count of 9,175 tickets that looked to be about 800 off.

But as baffling as the skewed crowd count has been this season, it pales in comparison to the mystery of the latest polls and Ratings Percentage Index.

In yesterday's Associated Press Top 25, Tulsa jumped over Hawaii into No. 35 with 30 points, up from the 12 points last week. The Rainbows lost three points but moved up two spots to No. 40 with 13 points.

More surprising was the leap Tulsa made in the RPI. The Golden Hurricane, with wins over SMU (97th) and Louisiana Tech (72nd) last week, jumped from 36 to 28. The Rainbows remained at No. 44.

However, the Hawaii players are not concerned about the rankings. The focus is on beating Tulsa.

"This is for first place and we've got to get this one," said sophomore forward Phil Martin. "It's the top two teams going at it and the best team will win."

Martin, who had an excellent defensive game against San Jose State last Saturday, drew an even tougher assignment this week. Martin will try to slow Tulsa's Kevin Johnson, named the WAC Player of the Week yesterday after averaging 17.5 points and 7.5 rebounds last week.

"If we play hard, we'll have success," said Burneika. "We have a great chance to beat them. It's for first place so they'll be ready for us and we'll be ready for them.

"We're shooting well right now, plus we're playing at home. Hopefully, we'll have a sellout. It will be a fun game to watch."

Notes: There was no holiday for the Rainbows yesterday. Hawaii had a light two-hour practice. ... Assistant coach Scott Rigot was back at practice yesterday, having just returned from a recruiting trip to Yugoslavia. One of the players Rigot looked at was the brother of redshirt freshman Milos Zivanovic. ... Also back at practice was manager Michael McDivitt, who had surgery Friday on his hand. McDivitt was one of four persons injured when the scaffolding fell over at the NFL Experience at the Hilton Hawaiian Village on Feb. 10.

Hawaiian Airlines Boys State Basketball Championship Tomorrow At Radford Kealakehe vs. Kamehameha, 6 p.m. Punahou vs. Kaimuki, 7:30 p.m. At Kekuhaupio Gym Baldwin or King Kekaulike vs. Castle, 6 p.m. Mililani vs. Waimea, 7:30 p.m. Thursday At Radford Lahainaluna vs. Punahou/Kaimuki winner, 6 p.m. Kalaheo vs. Kealakehe/Kamehameha, 7:30 p.m. At Kekuhaupio Gym Waiakea vs. Mililani/Waimea, 6 p.m. Iolani vs. MIL 2/Castle, 7:30 p.m. Friday At Blaisdell Arena MIL 2/Castle loser vs. Mililani/Waimea loser, noon Kealakehe/Kamehameha loser vs. Punahou/Kaimuki loser, 1:45 p.m. Fifth-place braket games, 3:30, 5:15 p.m. Semifinals, 7, 8:30 p.m. Saturday At Blaisdell Arena Consolation championship, 3 p.m. Fifth-place, 4:30 p.m. Third-place, 6 p.m. Championship, 8 p.m.

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UH Athletics