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Rainbows to try
different lineup

By Jason Kaneshiro
jkaneshiro@starbulletin.com

Hawaii at Boise State When: Today, 11:05 a.m. (Hawaii time) Where: Taco Bell Arena TV: None Radio: Live, KKEA 1420-AM Internet: HawaiiAthletics.com

It's probably tempting for members of the Hawaii basketball team to look back at the last three weeks and ponder how different things might be had a few bounces gone the Rainbow Warriors' way.

With a couple of buckets here or a key rebound there, the Rainbows might be jockeying for the top spot in the Western Athletic Conference. Instead, three road losses by three points or fewer and a stinging two-point loss at home have knocked them into the second tier of the WAC standings.

But the Rainbows' primary task today will be to keep their focus on the road ahead rather than the disappointments behind them.

"You can't let it get in there, but it does creep in your mind," UH coach Riley Wallace said. "You have to come out and win some ballgames, win some close ones, to get that out of there. So we're going to have to keep battling."

After suffering a 71-70 setback at Texas-El Paso on Thursday, UH will need to bounce back quickly to salvage a split of its road trip as the Rainbows face Boise State today.

Tipoff for the game between the Rainbows (10-4, 2-4 WAC) and the Broncos (8-9, 2-4) is set for 11 a.m. Hawaii time at Boise's Taco Bell Arena.

"(The UTEP loss) still stings, but we just have to put it behind us," UH center Chris Botez said. "Yesterday is done and tomorrow is a new game."

"The last four (losses) should have been ours; we just couldn't execute in the final 30 seconds of the game. That's what it comes down to."

Wallace will shake up the starting lineup for today's game, with guard Jake Sottos and forward Jeff Blackett starting in place of Matt Gibson and Matthew Gipson.

Sottos, who has 15 3-pointers in UH's last three games, suffered strained ligaments in his right foot during Thursday's game, but was able to practice yesterday. If he can't play, Bobby Nash will start in his place.

Blackett started the Rainbows' first 10 games until an infection and a stress fracture in his foot limited his minutes in recent games.

"We're just trying to shake it up and get a little better execution, and Jake's been hot," Wallace said.

UH enters the game having lost its last eight WAC games away from home. The 'Bows have a seven-game losing streak in regular-season conference road games sandwiched around last year's quarterfinal loss to Rice in the WAC tournament in Fresno. The skid began with a 74-57 loss at Boise State last season.

The Rainbows are looking to regain their balance after a dizzying ride on Thursday. UH trailed UTEP by 13 in the first half, rallied to take a nine-point lead in the second, but eventually lost on two free throws with 5.1 seconds left.

Like Hawaii, Boise State is trying to get on track in the WAC season. The Broncos' 72-62 victory over San Jose State on Thursday ended a three-game losing streak.

UH's perimeter defense will be tested by a Boise State squad that leads the WAC with 131 3-point baskets this season. Broncos guard Franco Harris is shooting a league-best 38.2 percent beyond the arc and leads Boise State with 39 treys while coming off the bench. Sophomore Coby Karl is next with 31.

Forward Jermaine Blackburn leads Boise State with 15.5 points per game.

"They're a very fast, quick team up and down the floor in transition," Wallace said. "They'll try to push it and we have to get down there and cover."

The Broncos rank near the bottom of the WAC in rebounding, but got a lift when senior forward Jason Ellis returned from a six-game absence against San Jose State. Ellis had surgery for a hernia on Dec. 29 and contributed 10 points and eight rebounds in his return. He had been averaging a team-best 7.5 rebounds when the injury forced him out of the lineup.

UH returns to the Sheriff Center next week to face Rice on Thursday and Tulsa a week from today.

Almost a Bronco: Botez almost wound up in a Boise State uniform as he narrowed his final choices to UH and Boise State when he was being recruited out of Chemeketa (Ore.) Community College last year. The 7-footer disappointed BSU fans by eventually signing with the Rainbows.

"I guess you could say (the Broncos) have become my rivals," said Botez, who will have 14 family members in the stands today. "It was just a decision I had to make ... and I know they're going to get at me. I'll just have to get after them too."

UH Athletics
www.hawaiiathletics.com