[ UH BASKETBALL ]
Bracket Buster
puts Rainbows
on road againExpanded field still keeps
Hawaii away from home
The Hawaii basketball team may again take a sizable detour to participate in ESPN's Bracket Buster Saturday in February.
The Rainbow Warriors have been designated a road team for the 23-game event highlighting 11 mid-major conferences on Feb. 21.
The Rainbows' Bracket Buster game will be part of a three-game road trip and will be sandwiched between Western Athletic Conference road games at Boise State on Feb. 18 and at UTEP on Feb. 23.
"There are no easy ways when you live in Hawaii," UH coach Riley Wallace said.
The Bracket Buster Saturday field, expanded from 18 to 46 teams, was officially announced yesterday. The pairings, decided by ESPN and the participating leagues, will be announced Feb. 1.
Ten of the 23 games will be televised -- five will be shown nationally on either ESPN or ESPN2 and the other five will be regional telecasts.
UH is among five WAC schools entered this year. Fresno State, Nevada, Rice and Tulsa will host their Bracket Buster games.
Of the designated host teams, excluding those in the WAC, New Mexico State of the Sun Belt Conference is the farthest west. All of the other schools are in the eastern or central time zones.
Logistically, a game at New Mexico State would fit nicely into the 'Bows' itinerary. But it all depends on how the season plays out to that point and what matchups ESPN wants to highlight.
"If you had to go to New Mexico State on Saturday that'd be great, and then play in El Paso on Monday. You could stay in one hotel," Wallace said.
The Rainbows traveled to Kent State last year and came away with a 79-78 win on national television. UH was the only WAC team to win its Bracket Buster game last year.
Wallace said the Bracket Buster format could also help spread the wealth around the WAC in terms of national exposure.
"(Hawaii, Tulsa and Fresno State) were getting a lot of the TV and this will give some of the other guys a chance to get some exposure," he said. "It gives Nevada and Rice a chance to get in there too."
Shaping up: The Rainbows began their preseason training program this week under the supervision of assistant coaches Bob Nash and Bob Burke and strength coach Tommy Heffernan. The program includes work on the track, in the weight room and in the gym.
Wallace said the team did its mile run yesterday with guards Logan Lee, Jake Sottos and Michael Kuebler and forward Phil Martin leading the pack.
Short shots: The WAC will tip off the season with its media day in Dallas on Oct. 16. Wallace said he's planning on taking Kuebler with him to the meeting. The duo will then have to jet back to Hawaii for the opening of practice on Oct. 17. ... Wallace and associate coach Jackson Wheeler are on the mainland recruiting, but will take time out to attend the UH football games at Southern California and UNLV.
2003-04 UH Men’s
Home games at Stan Sheriff Center, all times Hawaii time
Basketball Schedule
Nov. 17: Brigham Young-Hawaii (exhibition), 7:05 p.m.
Nov. 21: UC Santa Barbara, 7:05 p.m.
Nov. 24-26: EA Sports Maui Invitational at Maui, Santa Clara, Chaminade, Dayton, Ohio State, Central Michigan, San Diego State, Villanova
Dec. 7: California All-Stars (exhibition), 4:05 p.m.
Dec. 15: Oregon State, 7:05 p.m.
Dec. 19: Hawaii vs. Texas Southern, 7 p.m.
Dec. 20: Hawaii vs. New Orleans, 7 p.m.
Dec. 27-30: Outrigger Hotels Rainbow Classic; American, Bowling Green, East Tennessee State, Fairfield, IUPUI, Lamar, Pepperdine
Jan. 3: Fresno State, 7:05 p.m.
Jan. 5: Nevada, 7:05 p.m.
Jan. 10: at San Jose State, 4 p.m.
Jan. 15: at SMU, 3:05 p.m.
Jan. 17: at Louisiana Tech, 3 p.m.
Jan. 22: UTEP, 7:05 p.m.
Jan. 24: Boise State, 7:05 p.m.
Jan. 28: at Rice, 3:05 p.m.
Jan. 31: at Tulsa, TBA
Feb. 7: San Jose State, 7:05 p.m.
Feb. 12: Louisiana Tech, 7:05 p.m.
Feb. 14: SMU, 7:05 p.m.
Feb. 18: at Boise State, 4:30 p.m.
Feb. 21: ESPN Bracket Buster Saturday
Feb. 23: at UTEP, 3:05 p.m.
Feb. 27: Tulsa, 7:05 p.m.
Feb. 29: Rice, 3:05 p.m.
Mar. 4: at Nevada, 5:05 p.m.
Mar. 6: at Fresno State, 5 p.m.
Mar. 9-13: WAC Tournament, at Fresno, Calif.
Mar. 18-21: NCAA first and second rounds
Mar. 25-28 NCAA Regionals
April. 3-5: NCAA Final Four
