FL MORRIS / FMORRIS@STARBULLETIN.COM Jake Sottos scored in a crowd under the basket last night. He finished with a career-high 17 points.

Sottos too strong
for SMU zone

Showing Jake Sottos a zone defense is like showing a tiger a hunk of raw steak.

Southern Methodist has been forced to ignore the "Don't Feed The Animal" sign twice now.

Sottos scored a career-high 17 points last night, leading Hawaii to a 71-59 win over injury-plagued SMU at the Stan Sheriff Center. He broke his previous high of 10, which he got by planting three 3-pointers in a win against the Mustangs last February.

Last night, the senior from Monmouth, Ill., did a lot of his damage when the Rainbow Warriors needed it most -- during a long second-half lull when flu-plagued UH suffered an energy and efficiency crisis. Sottos scored nine points after the break.

"He hit some big shots," fellow guard Matt Gibson said. "We had an ugly second half and the only good part of it was Jake. If he didn't score, we would've struggled even more. Sottos came out and showed his worth."

Sottos made six of nine shots from the field, including three of six 3-pointers in 25 minutes off the bench. He tied his career high for playing time, also set against SMU here last year.

The Mustangs' zone defense -- something they were forced into by injuries to both starting guards -- allowed Sottos to feast. But he was planning to take some bites, anyway.

"I came in to practice today and was shooting good, I came in feeling good," Sottos said. "And that zone just helps a little.

"I saw the team needed a little help, so I just do what I do in practice."

UH led 46-23 at halftime, but SMU began cutting into the lead after the break. Sottos halted a 12-6 Mustangs run with a nifty transition layup with 13:11 left in the game. Then his double-pump layup at 8:26 made it 56-39.

He hit his third trey with 6:24 left and tossed an alley-oop to Julian Sensley for a dunk at 5:44 that made it 65-46. SMU continued to battle, but Sottos' 10-foot runner ended any hopes for the visitors -- the score was 67-55 with 1:27 left.

"If the situation's right, you want him in there," Hawaii coach Riley Wallace said. "He doesn't force the action, but he doesn't turn the ball over and he's a threat on the floor. He keeps the defense extended and they have to know where he is."

SMU coach Jimmy Tubbs said the Mustangs were aware of Sottos, but there was little they could do, being down to nine healthy players. The visitors from Dallas were too shorthanded to play much "Big D."

"We usually don't play that much zone, but we had to," Tubbs said. "You identify the shooters and do the best you can. Hawaii does a good job of playing to their personnel."