[ RAINBOW BASKETBALL ]
RONEN ZILBERMAN / RZILBERMAN@STARBULLETIN.COM
Hawaii's Julian Sensley went up against Louisiana Tech's players Jeremy Johnston during Thursday's game at the Stan Sheriff Center. The Rainbows will try to rebound from the 62-61 loss against Southern Methodist tonight.
Bouncing Back
Hawaii looks to get back
on track after a disappointing
loss at home
The Hawaii basketball team made a fashion statement in practice yesterday as the Rainbow Warriors prepared to make a stand tonight at the Stan Sheriff Center.
A day after losing a heartbreaker against Louisiana Tech, Hawaii showed up for the workout sporting matching white headbands.
While the accessories will not make an appearance during UH's game with Southern Methodist tonight, it helped the players spice up practice and put the disappointment of the loss behind them.
"We needed to do something to bring everyone together," UH senior Michael Kuebler said. "Right off the bat everybody was pretty pumped up. We just needed to get our minds off the game last night and get ready for the next one."
SMU at Hawaii
When: Today, 7 p.m.Where: Stan Sheriff Center
TV: Live, KFVE-TV
Radio: Live, 1420-AM
Internet: uhathletics.hawaii.edu
Tickets: Lower Level, $15 (single seats only); Upper Level (adult) $11; Upper Level (student, UH) $5; Super Rooter $8. First 100 UH students with a valid ID through the turnstiles, free
Parking: $3
The Rainbows face SMU to close out a three-game homestand. They are looking to rebound from a 62-61 home loss to LaTech. Despite the defeat Hawaii (16-5, 8-3 Western Athletic Conference) remains in the hunt for the WAC regular-season title, sitting a half-game behind league leader Texas-El Paso.
UH coach Riley Wallace said he reminded the players of that fact during a team meeting prior to yesterday's practice.
"I said I woke up this morning and the sun came up and we're still tied on the loss side for first place and all we have to do is take care of business," Wallace said. "It's not too late. That wasn't the end of the season."
Wallace said the meeting presented a chance for the team to refocus and address the players' roles on the team.
"It was important to get (the loss) behind us," UH forward Phil Martin said. "We had a meeting in the locker room and coach told us what he expects, what we need to do, and had a good talk about things."
Hawaii experienced one of its coldest shooting nights of the season on Thursday, finishing 4-for-21 on 3-pointers. Kuebler took some extra shots after practice yesterday after making four of 13 attempts from the field against LaTech.
"I know you're not supposed to dwell on anything like that, but it's real tough for me not to do that," Kuebler said. "It's something I can't really put behind me until the next game is over. It's probably not the right way to do it, but I think it kind of motivates me more because I don't want to have that feeling on my shoulders anymore."
UH, which defeated SMU (10-12, 4-8) 66-65 in Dallas last month, will face a Mustangs team that appears to have pulled itself out of a midseason nosedive by winning two of its last three games.
After enduring seven losses in an eight-game span, the Mustangs knocked off Nevada in overtime last week and had a shot at beating Fresno State, but lost in double-overtime. SMU began its current road trip with a 62-55 win at San Jose State on Thursday.
Sophomore point guard Bryan Hopkins, a preseason All-WAC selection, leads the Mustangs with 16.3 points per game. Forward Patrick Simpson is second on the team in scoring and averaged 15.8 points in the Mustangs' last four games.
But the key for the Mustangs will be to spread the scoring among the entire lineup.
"We're a team that has to have four or five of our guys clicking to have a chance to play well," SMU coach Mike Dement said. "We went through that stretch in January where there was only one guy that was doing anything."
Both Hawaii and SMU have been involved in their share of tight contests this season. Five of SMU's 12 WAC games were decided by one or two points. Hawaii's last four games have been decided by a total of seven points.
With the Rainbows coming off their third home loss of the season, the Mustangs expect to face a fired-up UH squad.
"You know you're going to get an extra jolt of their energy and they'll be ready to go," Dement said.
Probable starters
Notes: Hawaii leads the series 8-6 and has won five of the last six meetings, including the last three in Honolulu. ... Tonight's game is No. 500 in Riley Wallace's career as UH head coach. He enters the contest at 278-221. ... Hawaii hasn't lost back-to-back WAC home games since the 1999-2000 season. ... SMU picked up its first WAC road win of the season on Thursday against San Jose State. ... Kuebler has scored in double figures in 15 consecutive games and has hit a 3-pointer in 17 straight. ... Hopkins is averaging 20.5 points and three assists over SMU's last four games.
SMU (10-12, 4-8) Ht. Pts. Reb. Ast. G Bryan Hopkins (So.) 6-0 16.3 3.4 4.0 G Justin Isham (Jr.) 6-5 7.8 3.6 1.7 G/F Kris Lowe (Sr.) 6-6 7.9 4.2 1.9 F Patrick Simpson (Jr.) 6-9 11.6 6.3 0.9 F/C Eric Castro (Jr.) 6-8 10.0 6.0 1.8 Hawaii (16-5, 8-3) Ht. Pts. Reb. Ast. G Logan Lee (So.) 6-1 4.4 1.7 4.2 G Michael Kuebler (Sr.) 6-4 18.8 3.5 1.8 F Julian Sensley (So.) 6-9 11.6 7.5 3.4 F Phil Martin (Sr.) 6-8 11.1 5.0 0.9 C Haim Shimonovich (Sr.) 6-10 7.4 7.0 1.9
