’Bows in 1-and-done TULSA, Okla. >> The trees are still bare in Tulsa, but signs of spring are beginning to pop up around town. Likewise, the Hawaii basketball team is looking at this week's Western Athletic Conference tournament as a time for renewal.
territory at WAC
Everything's on the line as
Hawaii opens the conference
tournament tomorrowBy Jason Kaneshiro
jkaneshiro@starbulletin.com
It's been a long winter on the road for the Rainbow Warriors, who have lost their last eight WAC games away from Honolulu. But with a shot at a third straight trip to the NCAA Tournament on the line, Hawaii (17-10, 9-9 WAC) enters tomorrow's WAC quarterfinal game with Rice with a fresh outlook.
What: WAC tournament quarterfinals Hawaii vs. Rice
When: Tomorrow, 2 p.m.
Where: Donald W. Reynolds Center
TV: KFVE
Radio: KKEA (1420 AM)
Internet: uhathletics.hawaii.edu
"This is what we've been working for all season," UH captain Mark Campbell said after a spirited practice at Hale High School yesterday. "We've always said the prize was out ahead of us and every game we were trying to get better for what we're doing now.
"People just have to realize it's playoff time. One loss and you go home, you don't get a second chance."
Hawaii, the two-time defending WAC champion and fifth seed in the tournament, and fourth-seeded Rice meet at 2 p.m. (Hawaii time) tomorrow at the Donald W. Reynolds Center.
The winner advances to the semifinals to face the winner of the game between top-seeded Tulsa and UTEP, which defeated San Jose State 86-80 in yesterday's preliminary-round game.
In the last meeting between the teams, Rice handed a wounded UH squad a 75-58 loss in Houston. Several players were battling the flu on that trip and center Haim Shimonovich went out with a sprained ankle two days earlier.
This week, the Rainbows appear to have shaken off any lingering effects of their illnesses and Shimonovich could be ready to return tomorrow.
"Guys are healthy, guys are hungry again," said UH guard Carl English, who was hit hard by the flu during the last road trip. "They beat us at their place so we have to show them who we really are."
Rice took advantage of Shimonovich's absence in the last meeting as center Yamar Diene enjoyed a career night with 24 points and 12 rebounds and All-WAC forward Michael Harris added 15 points.
Shimonovich returned to practice yesterday, and his defensive presence in the paint could provide a big boost for the Rainbows.
"I can't say enough of how much Haim means to our team," Campbell said of the 6-foot-10, 265-pounder. "He's an inside presence, one of our best passers. He's a big body; when he's out you know he's out."
With Shimonovich out, sophomore Nkeruwem Akpan started the last two games and produced 25 points and grabbed nine rebounds in wins over Boise State and UTEP last week.
Rice (19-9, 11-7 WAC) enters the tournament with the momentum of a 92-71 win over WAC regular-season champion Fresno State last Saturday, and has already posted its highest win total in coach Willis Wilson's 11-year tenure. The Owls will look to advance past the WAC quarterfinals for the first time since joining the conference in the 1996-97 season.
Rice, which is staying at the same hotel as the Rainbows, leads the WAC in three offensive categories -- field-goal percentage, free-throw percentage and 3-point percentage -- led by Harris and guard Omar-Seli Mance.
Harris, who comes off the bench for the Owls, averages a team-best 15.3 points and 7.2 rebounds per game and shoots 63 percent from the field.
Mance (14.9 ppg) spearheads a Rice defense that swiped a league-high 234 steals during the regular season. Mance leads the team with 41 steals.
But Hawaii is certainly familiar with the Owls' schemes after playing them just nine days ago, and the Rainbows believe they've come out of their struggles stronger as a unit.
"We got some depth when guys were sick or hurt, so I think we're a much better team than what we were a few weeks ago," English said. "Things are starting to shape up."
UH Athletics
