[ WAHINE BASKETBALL ]
UH has hands full
with LaTech
Defeating Louisiana Tech, the coaches' preseason pick to win the Western Athletic Conference women's basketball crown, is an entirely different challenge for Hawaii than when it handily beat the No. 3 preseason pick, Southern Methodist, on Thursday night.
Ranked No. 12 in the Associated Press and coaches polls, the Lady Techsters (11-2, 4-1 WAC) will provide a young Rainbow Wahine team with its toughest test of the season tonight at 7 at the Stan Sheriff Center.
Rainbow Wahine basketball
Who: Louisiana Tech at Hawaii
When: Today, 7 p.m.
Where: Stan Sheriff Center
TV: Live, KFVE (Ch. 5)
Radio: Live, KKEA (1420-AM)
Tickets: All seats general admission. $7 adults, $6 seniors, $4 for children (age 4-17) and UH students.
Parking: $3
Take one look at scores from last week and the magnitude of the Wahine (4-9, 2-2) task is evident. Hawaii lost by 15 points to Nevada on the road, and Louisiana Tech beat Nevada by 63 points at home. UH was bombed by San Jose State on the road by 28 points, and LaTech beat the host Spartans by 13 Thursday.
Lady Techsters coach Kurt Budke uses three guards and two forwards, both very versatile players. All-American center Cheryl Ford has hardly been missed with the emergence of senior forward Amisha Carter, who is second in scoring with a 15.6 average and hauls in 10.4 rebounds per game.
"The Lady Techsters are a little different than SMU in that they are better in everything they do," UH coach Vince Goo said. "They are faster, quicker, more aggressive on defense and they press a lot.
"They don't shoot many 3s because they run by people for layups. They definitely are the quickest team we have faced this year. I don't know if we are going to be successful, but we will try to control the tempo of the game. If we try to play their pace, they can make you look real ugly in a hurry."
The Wahine are first in the conference in field-goal defense (.342). To stay in the game they will have to keep LaTech from blistering the nets at the .455 pace it has enjoyed so far this season. The Wahine had a .406 field-goal percentage against SMU, just the fourth time this year they have been that accurate. They will have to run their offense well, make good passes, and see the cutters coming off picks if good looks at the basket are to materialize.
Four of Louisiana Tech's five starters score in double figures, led by senior forward Trina Frierson (17.3 points per game). Lakiate Barkus, a junior college transfer, averages 10.3 ppg coming off the bench.
That is why Budke's squad has outscored its opponents 84.5 to 61.8.
Probable starters
Hawaii (4-9, 2-2 WAC) Ht. Pts. Reb. Ast. G Janevia Taylor (Fr.) 5-5 4.8 3.8 1.6 F April Atuaia (Jr.) 5-10 10.2 5.1 2.1 F Amy Sanders (So.) 5-11 5.0 3.3 1.2 F Jade Abele (Jr.) 6-1 16.6 6.7 2.7 C Brittany Grice (Fr.) 6-4 4.2 3.7 0.2 Notes: The Lady Techsters lead the series 11-0. ... In the last meeting, at the WAC tournament on March 14, 2003, Louisiana Tech won the semifinal-round game 85-58. ... UH has gone 15 consecutive games against a ranked opponent, including six vs. Louisiana Tech, without posting a victory.
Louisiana Tech (11-2, 4-1 WAC) Ht. Pts. Reb. Ast. G Amber Obaze (Sr.) 5-9 11.8 3.7 2.4 G Tasha Crain (So.) 5-7 4.3 2.9 2.9 G Erica Smith-Taylor (Jr.) 5-10 12.8 6.0 3.5 F Trina Frierson (Sr.) 6-2 17.3 6.3 0.8 F Amisha Carter (Sr.) 6-2 15.6 10.4 0.3
