Gophers MINNEAPOLIS >> Opportunity is the operative word around the Hawaii basketball team heading into tomorrow's National Invitation Tournament game with Minnesota.
serious challenge
for ’Bows
Minnesota’s front line
and homecourt advantage stand
between Hawaii
and the NIT quarterfinalsBy Jason Kaneshiro
jkaneshiro@starbulletin.com
The game represents an opportunity to move a step closer to the NIT semifinals in New York, and for the Rainbows it's also a chance to play in one of the nation's storied arenas and prove themselves against a Big Ten program.
When: Tomorrow, 3 p.m. Hawaii time Hawaii at Minnesota
Where: Minnesota's Williams Arena
Radio: KKEA (1420-AM)
TV: None
At stake: Winner plays Temple or Rhode Island in the NIT quarterfinals
"It's always good when you have a chance to play a team like that because it shows what your university is about and what your basketball team is built of," UH guard Carl English said.
"It's a good opportunity as a whole and it's a good opportunity for our team to get some exposure."
Tip-off for the first basketball meeting between the schools is set for 3 p.m. Hawaii time at venerable Williams Arena on the UM campus. The game will be broadcast on radio on KKEA (1420-AM). There is no television coverage.
The winner plays Temple or Rhode Island in an NIT quarterfinal game later this week.
Hawaii, which advanced to the NIT's second round with an 85-68 win at Nevada-Las Vegas last Wednesday, gets its first look at Williams Arena at today's practice.
The building opened in 1928 and has undergone numerous renovations since. One thing that hasn't changed is Minnesota's success rate at the arena known for its raised playing floor and raucous atmosphere.
The Golden Gophers are 14-3 at home this season, raising their all-time record at Williams to 662-246 (73 percent).
"It's a challenge," UH coach Riley Wallace said. "You're on the road a long way from home, you're in the Big Ten. They've had a good season and there's a lot of tradition in that program, so we'll have to go in there and play like we did the other night."
Like Hawaii, Minnesota (17-12, 8-8 Big Ten) struggled on the road this season, but advanced with a 62-52 victory at Saint Louis on Wednesday.
The Gophers feature a tall and talented front line, led by 6-foot-11 sophomore forward Rick Rickert. Last year's Big Ten Freshman of the Year is averaging 15.8 points and 6.2 rebounds this season and is one of four Minnesota starters with double-figure scoring averages.
Guard Maurice Hargrow is second with 13.2 points per game. Forward Michael Bauer (6-8, 11.8 ppg) and center Jerry Holman (6-10, 10 ppg) join Rickert in the paint.
The Gophers' height inside will test UH post players Phil Martin, Nkeruwem Akpan and Haim Shimonovich, who battled through foul trouble against UNLV.
"It'll take away things we're used to doing," Wallace said. "We really have to execute our offense and do well with it."
The Rainbows' execution was seldom better this season than in last week's win.
Hawaii (19-11) shot 56 percent from the field in overpowering the Runnin' Rebels and will need a similar effort to move on in the tournament.
"I wish we had this confidence when the season began or we wouldn't be in the NIT right now, we'd be in much better shape," said English. "But right now we're playing with a different poise and our team is hungry and we want to keep going."
The intensity has picked up at practice as well. The team's last workout in Las Vegas before heading to Minnesota included a couple of shoving matches between players.
"We have to have competition, we have to have effort," Wallace said. "Guys were wanting to get after it. One guy doesn't let another guy shove him around, that's good basketball."
Short shots: English needs one 3-point goal to set the school's single-season record. English enters the game with 86, tied with Trevor Ruffin's 1993-94 total. ... Minnesota was eliminated in the second round of the NIT the last two years. ... Minnesota coach Dan Monson owns a 65-55 record in four seasons with the Golden Gophers. Before taking over at Minnesota, Monson helped build Gonzaga into a power and faced Hawaii in the second round of the 1998 NIT. UH won that game 78-70.
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