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Hawaii enters
‘third season’Rainbow Warriors open
WAC play tomorrow,
hosting Fresno State
The festivities are over, the trophy is tucked away once again and the Rainbow Warriors are back at work.
After the emotional high of winning a third consecutive Outrigger Hotels Rainbow Classic title on Tuesday, the Hawaii basketball team returned to practice yesterday to prepare for the third and most important phase of its schedule -- the Western Athletic Conference season.
"We always say it's the third season," UH coach Riley Wallace said. "It's the preseason, the Rainbow Classic and the WAC."
Although UH (8-2) begins the WAC season at home this week, the schedule doesn't allow for easing into the conference slate. The 'Bows open against rival Fresno State tomorrow at the Stan Sheriff Center and face preseason WAC favorite Nevada on Monday.
Both games are set to tip off at 7:05 p.m.
Fresno State (4-5) leads the all-time series between the schools 17-9, but UH has closed the gap in recent years by winning five of the last seven meetings. Nevada (6-3) returns four starters from last year's squad, including guard Kirk Snyder, the preseason WAC Player of the Year.
"Fresno's used to winning and Nevada has played a very tough schedule," Wallace said. "You have to be ready because they'll come in here fired up and ready to go."
Tomorrow's WAC games mark the beginning of what figures to be a wide-open race for the league championship.
All but two teams enter conference play at .500 or better. The schools with losing records are Fresno State, the defending regular-season champion, and Tulsa, the defending tournament champ. Both teams are 4-5 and hope to rebound in the conference season.
At the upper end of the preseason standings are two teams that finished at or near the bottom of the league last year.
Texas-El Paso, which went 6-25 overall and 3-15 in the WAC a year ago, has already eclipsed last year's win total with a 9-1 nonconference mark. Boise State (13-16, 7-11 WAC last year) is among three teams at 8-2.
WAC teams have posted some impressive victories already this season. With one more nonconference game (No. 1 Connecticut at Rice) set for today, the WAC is 61-30 so far this season. Among those were wins over then-No. 6 Kansas (Nevada), Purdue and Texas Tech (Southern Methodist).
As a result, five WAC teams -- UTEP, Nevada, Rice, Boise State and Hawaii -- appear among the top 100 in the Sagarin ratings. According to collegerpi.com, UTEP has the 15th best RPI in the nation, with Hawaii coming in at No. 45.
Hawaii and UTEP are tied for the longest winning streak entering WAC play, each having won their last six games.
At either end of UH's streak are overtime wins over Oregon State and Fairfield and Wallace thinks the experience has helped his team prepare for the challenge of a conference season that could be filled with tight battles.
"We've won some close games -- I think the preseason has helped us that way," Wallace said. "We know what we're going to do and having some seniors helps."
* * *Following is a look at the WAC entering this week's openers.
BOISE STATE (8-2)
Coach: Greg Graham
Leading scorer/rebounder: Jermaine Blackburn (16.4 ppg)/Jason Ellis (10.3 rpg)The Broncos returned all five starters off last year's team, but a couple of newcomers have emerged as their leading producers. Blackburn, a junior swingman, and freshman guard Coby Karl, the son of former NBA coach George Karl, are the team's top scorers. Ellis is close to averaging a double-double with 9.5 points and 10.3 rebounds per game. Seniors Bryan Defares (12.4 ppg) and Aaron Haynes (10.6) also play vital roles in a Broncos offense averaging more than 81 points per game. However, the Broncos also rank last in the WAC in scoring defense as they surrender nearly 72 points per contest.
FRESNO STATE (4-5)
Coach: Ray Lopes
Leading scorer/rebounder: Renaldo Major (14.9 ppg)/Mustafa Al-Sayyad (7.2 rpg)Despite winning the regular-season title, the Bulldogs were excluded from the WAC tournament last year due to a self-imposed postseason ban following an investigation into academic fraud involving former players. The Bulldogs' off-court problems continue, as they will open WAC play without suspended seniors Major (violation of team rules) and Jonathan Woods (missing practice). Fresno State point guard Shantay Legans, a transfer from California and the preseason pick for WAC Newcomer of the Year, has a WAC-best 51 assists. The Bulldogs rose to second in the league in scoring defense (59.3 ppg) after giving up 29 points to Washington State and 43 to San Francisco in their last two games, but are last in field-goal percentage (.422).
HAWAII RAINBOW (8-2)
Coach: Riley Wallace
Leading scorer/rebounder: Michael Kuebler (20.9 ppg)/Haim Shimonovich (8.3 rpg)The Rainbows enter WAC play on a six-game winning streak, with two victories coming in overtime, including Tuesday's 50-49 win over Fairfield in the Rainbow Classic title game. Kuebler is the league's leading scorer, and among the Rainbows' strengths has been their ability to share the ball. UH has topped 20 assists four times this season. Sophomore Julian Sensley (10.2 ppg, 7.6 rpg, 3.6 apg) has emerged as a force with his all-around game and has three double-doubles in his last four games. The team also feeds off the interior play of senior captains Shimonovich (8.5 ppg) and Phil Martin (12.9 ppg).
LOUISIANA TECH (6-4)
Coach: Keith Richard
Leading scorer/rebounder: Paul Millsap (14.2 ppg, 11.3 rpg)With their top four scorers of last year gone, the Bulldogs have turned to Millsap, a true freshman, to fill the void. Millsap (6-foot-8, 200 pounds) leads the league in rebounding, blocked shots and field-goal percentage heading into the WAC season. He made 10 of 11 shots and scored a career high 22 points in LaTech's win over Montevallo on Tuesday. Junior transfer Donell Allick is second on the team in scoring with 13.3 ppg. As a team, the Bulldogs lead the WAC in rebounding margin, grabbing 12 more boards per game than their opponents.
NEVADA (6-3)
Coach: Trent Johnson
Leading scorer/rebounder: Kirk Snyder (17.0 ppg)/Nick Fazekas (6.0 rpg)The Wolf Pack advanced to its first WAC title game last year and entered this season as the favorite to capture the conference crown. Nevada played well in a loss at top-ranked Connecticut early in the season and upset Kansas 75-61 on Dec. 21. Much of the optimism revolves around the return of four starters, including Snyder, perhaps the league's top talent. Snyder leads the team in scoring and had 29 points against the Jayhawks. Forward Kevinn Pinkney averages 10.6 ppg inside and guard Todd Okeson was among the nation's best 3-point shooters last year.
RICE (8-2)
Coach: Willis Wilson
Leading scorer/rebounder: Michael Harris (16.9 ppg, 9.3 rpg)The Owls close their nonconference schedule today by hosting No. 1 UConn at Autry Court. It will be Rice's second shot at a ranked opponent. The Owls lost to Stanford 60-56 on Nov. 30. After coming off the bench last year, Harris is now a full-time starter and already has five double-doubles this season. Forward Jason McKrieth has scored in double figures in all 10 games. With center Yamar Diene recovering from a sprained ankle, the Owls' front court could be among the best in the league. Guard Rashid Smith leads the WAC in steals with 27 and had eight in a win over Houston.
SAN JOSE STATE (5-5)
Coach: Phil Johnson
Leading scorer/rebounder: Eric Walton (12.4 ppg, 8.1 rpg)After winning four straight, the Spartans enter the WAC season on a two-game skid. They lost to BYU-Hawaii 85-75 in Laie on Dec. 22 and dropped a game to Harvard on Tuesday. SJSU lost its top three scorers of last season and the 798 fans who watched Harvard win its first game this season saw the Spartans endure their worst shooting performance of the season (.345). Center Eric Walton has been the team's most consistent player. Guard Brett Lilly is the Spartans' top outside shooting threat with 29 3-pointers. SJSU was the only WAC team to beat Hawaii twice last season.
SOUTHERN METHODIST (6-3)
Coach: Mike Dement
Leading scorer/rebounder: Bryan Hopkins (15.3 ppg)/Patrick Simpson (6.6 rpg)SMU played one of the tougher nonconference schedules in the league and picked up marquee wins over Texas Tech and Purdue. The Mustangs face Oklahoma State tomorrow before starting WAC play. SMU returns four starters, however the lone departure was Quinton Ross, the WAC's scoring champion in 2002-03. Hopkins was the WAC's Freshman of the Year last season and leads the team in scoring, assists (34) and steals (14). His 35-point outing against Miami (Ohio) on Dec. 20 is the league's best so far.
TEXAS-EL PASO (9-1)
Coach: Billy Gillispie
Leading scorer/rebounder: Jason Williams (13.4)/Roy Smallwood (6.4)Picked to finish ninth in the preseason coaches poll, the Miners beat the Harlem Globetrotters in an exhibition and have continued to roll in the regular season. UTEP has outscored its opponents by an average of 23.3 points per game. The Miners lead the WAC in scoring offense (87.1 ppg), field-goal percentage (.503) and 3-point shooting (77-for-182). Smallwood is back after missing most of last season with a knee injury. Williams, Omar Thomas and Filiberto Rivera, all transfers, have injected life into the UTEP program. Rivera averages 10.2 points and five assists per game. Forward John Tofi (12.4 ppg, 5.7 rpg) was among the WAC's top freshmen last year.
TULSA (4-5)
Coach: John Phillips
Leading scorer/rebounder: Jason Parker (17.4 ppg)/Jarius Glenn (7.9 rpg)Parker considered entering the NBA Draft last year, but decided instead to return to Tulsa for his senior season. If he hadn't, the Golden Hurricane might really be hurting. With All-WAC forward Kevin Johnson and point guard Dante Swanson gone, the burden of leading the team falls to Parker, who leads the team in points, assists and steals. Forward Jarius Glenn, the other returning starter, has picked up some of the slack with 15.1 ppg. Glenn is coming off a 27-point, 13-rebound performance in a loss to Arkansas on Tuesday.
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Sensley's status doubtful
Hawaii forward Julian Sensley's status for tomorrow's Western Athletic Conference opener against Fresno State is in doubt due to a bruised left shoulder.Sensley sat out the Rainbow Warriors' practice yesterday after injuring the shoulder in a fall on Wednesday. He said the injury was still painful yesterday afternoon, but improving.
"I just have to take it a day at a time right now," Sensley said after getting treatment on his shoulder and watching the team's workout at the Stan Sheriff Center.
"If we were playing (today), I don't think I could play. I've made progress from the beginning of practice to now. Before practice started I couldn't even put on my shirt. I'm just icing it and I'll take it a day at a time."
Sensley, a 6-foot-9 sophomore from Kailua, has started all 10 games this season and elevated his play in recent games. He recorded double figures in points and rebounds in three of UH's last four games. He's averaging 10.2 points and 7.6 rebounds per game and is second on the team in assists (36), blocked shots (nine) and minutes played (34.1 per game).
Sensley hit the game-winning 3-pointer in UH's 50-49 overtime win over Fairfield in the championship game of the Outrigger Hotels Rainbow Classic on Tuesday. He posted 12 points and 12 rebounds in the victory.
UH coach Riley Wallace said if Sensley is not available, the Rainbows can play Jeff Blackett, Vaidotas Peciukas and Bobby Nash at small forward. Guard Michael Kuebler, the team's leading scorer, played the position last season and can slide over if needed. But Sensley is hoping he'll be ready to take the floor tomorrow.
"I hope I'm ready to play by Saturday, this is real big to me," he said.