[ RAINBOW BASKETBALL ]
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Hawaii's Jason Carter drove past San Jose State's Maurice Moore (left) during the first half of Saturday's game.
Rainbows head east
to try to tame
Mustangs
Escaping a town that was a major road block in recent years, the Hawaii basketball team now heads east looking to keep pace in the Western Athletic Conference race.
The Rainbow Warriors won 83-76 at San Jose State on Saturday and continue their first mainland trip of the season against Southern Methodist on Thursday and Louisiana Tech on Saturday.
UH (10-3 overall, 2-1 WAC) had lost its last two games in San Jose and the 'Bows hope to build on the momentum of the win this week.
"They beat us the last two years and this team refused to let that happen and played hard and pulled out the win," UH coach Riley Wallace said. "Now we have to continue and go and try to win two more."
With three road wins between them, Fresno State (4-0) and Rice (3-0) have assumed the early lead in the race for the WAC regular-season title.
The 'Bows have already dropped a home game this season (to Fresno State) and know their hopes of contending for the crown depend largely on how many wins they can steal away from the Stan Sheriff Center.
"We have to get them all at home, no question, " Wallace said. "And you have to get some more road wins, because you're not going to win it at 9-9. You have to win 12 or 13 to get it."
Both of the WAC front-runners hit the road this week. Fresno State plays at Boise State and UTEP, while Rice visits Tulsa on Saturday.
UH will next face an SMU team that returned to Dallas at 7-6 overall and 1-2 in the WAC after dropping two road games last week. SMU lost a heartbreaker at Fresno State 54-53 last Thursday and fell to Nevada 84-74 in Reno on Saturday.
The 'Bows' depth proved vital in the win over San Jose State, as the bench gave them the boost needed to hold off the Spartans.
"When the bench is playing good, the starters tend to have a little more energy," said forward Jeff Blackett, who scored a career-high 19 points. "As long as we continue to do that we're going to be a good team."
UH also got solid play in the post from senior Paul Jesinskis, who played a season-high 15 minutes as Haim Shimonovich went to the bench with foul trouble and Phil Martin was slowed by back spasms.
"He's been working hard and needed to get some playing time and he did help us," Wallace said. "He bangs and gives you that physical presence inside."
UH broke the 20-assist mark for the fifth time this season, posting 22 against the Spartans.
The 'Bows also did the job from the free-throw line, hitting 14 of 17 attempts in the second half. Blackett made nine of 11 shots from the line.
With the longest leg of the trip coming up, the play of the reserves figures to again be a key in the 'Bows' search for those valued road victories.
"As long as they keep working we'll keep using them," Wallace said.
