[ RAINBOW BASKETBALL ]
Carter has made
his point for ’BowsThe senior guard is scheduled
to start against Nebraska
Jason Carter's season has come full circle.
The Hawaii point guard began his senior season in the starting lineup for the Rainbow Warriors, but found himself coming off the bench four games into the campaign.
After a roller-coaster 25 games as one of the team's top reserves, Carter was back among the starting five for the Rainbows' last two games. But whether he's introduced to the crowd before tipoff or 10 minutes into the game doesn't matter much to Carter as he wraps up his UH career.
Nebraska at Hawaii
When: Today, 6:05 p.m.Where: Stan Sheriff Center
TV: Live, OC 16
Radio: Live, 1420-AM
Internet: uhathletics.hawaii.edu
Tickets: Sold out, season-ticket holders who preordered NIT tickets can pick them up starting at 8 a.m. today. Parking: $3.
"I just want to play, that's all," Carter said after the Rainbows' practice yesterday in preparation for their National Invitation Tournament game with Nebraska.
Carter is slated to start his third straight game when the Rainbows (20-11) meet the Huskers (18-12) at 6 p.m. today at a sold-out Stan Sheriff Center for the right to advance to the NIT quarterfinals.
Carter struggled in his first stint as a starter and has split time with sophomore Logan Lee the entire season. But down the stretch he has put together two of his best games since being plugged back into the starting five.
He returned to the starting lineup for UH's quarterfinal game with Rice in the McCaffrey Western Athletic Conference tournament and finished with eight points and three assists in 20 minutes of action in a 70-68 loss to the Owls.
The Rainbows were awarded a spot in the NIT, and he responded by scoring 13 points and tying a career high with six assists in UH's landmark 85-74 win over nationally ranked Utah State last Wednesday.
Carter helped the Rainbows take control late in the first half by draining a 3-pointer from the right corner and knocking down another from the left side to give UH a 41-30 lead. He punctuated the half by driving into the lane and hitting a pull-up jumper just before the buzzer.
In the last two games, Carter has made seven of 11 shots from the field, including five of seven from beyond the 3-point line, and has nine assists to just five turnovers.
"He earned that spot. I gave it to him and he doesn't want to give it up," UH coach Riley Wallace said. "He's playing under control, he's feeling good about his offense and he's really finding his teammates. He's doing what we've wanted him to do all along."
Carter's quickness and his penchant for the spectacular made him a favorite of the fans upon his arrival in Manoa last season, when he averaged 4.5 points in 26 games while playing behind Mark Campbell.
He began this season as the starter, but scored just two points in the Rainbows' first three games. Lee was inserted into the starting lineup and provided a steady hand at the point while sharing playing time with Carter.
Carter closed out UH's final regular-season homestand with strong performances off the bench against Tulsa (11 points, five assists) and Rice (14 points, two assists).
But as the Rainbows stumbled in the final portion of the season, Wallace plugged Carter back into the starting lineup heading into the WAC tournament to inject more energy into the mix.
Carter responded by displaying a confident stroke on his jump shot on one possession while zipping to the basket or dishing the ball to an open teammate on the next.
"That's what I've been doing the last four or five games, just playing my game," Carter said. "I let loose a little bit. I feel comfortable. When I'm more relaxed I play better."
With the number of games he has left in a UH uniform dwindling, Carter is hoping to extend his playing career beyond college while enjoying the Rainbows' postseason run.
"I'm just going out there and having fun," he said. "I'm playing good games at the end and just proving that I am a player."
Probable starters
Notes: The winner of tonight's game plays Michigan or Oklahoma in the National Invitation Tournament quarterfinals. ... Hawaii leads the series with Nebraska 4-2. All of the games have been played in Honolulu, the last coming in the 1997 Rainbow Classic semifinals (UH won 87-62). ... Nebraska is making its first postseason appearance since the 1998-99 season. ... Nebraska advanced to the NIT's second round by defeating Creighton (71-70) and Niagara (78-70). Due to the quick turnaround following their win on Friday, the Huskers didn't arrive in Hawaii until last night. ... UH forward Jeff Blackett leads the team in both field-goal percentage (.500) and free-throw percentage (.822). ... Conklin is shooting 56.6 percent (60 of 106) from 3-point range.
Nebraska (18-12) Ht. Pts. Reb. Ast. G Nate Johnson (Sr.) 6-1 13.2 4.6 1.6 G Jake Muhleisen (Jr.) 6-4 7.7 3.3 1.7 G Marcus Neal Jr. (Jr.) 6-0 5.0 1.7 1.9 F Brian Conklin (Sr.) 6-11 7.5 3.8 1.2 F John Turek (Jr.) 6-9 9.8 5.9 1.0 Hawaii (20-11) Ht. Pts. Reb. Ast. G Jason Carter (Sr.) 5-10 4.2 1.1 2.2 G Michael Kuebler (Sr.) 6-4 18.3 3.4 2.0 F Julian Sensley (So.) 6-9 12.2 7.5 3.4 F Phil Martin (Sr.) 6-8 9.7 4.5 0.9 C Haim Shimonovich (Sr.) 6-11 7.0 6.7 1.8