Tatum undergoing
medical tests

Hawaii guard Deonte Tatum's status for tonight's Western Athletic Conference basketball game against Rice is in question pending the result of medical tests this morning.

Tatum sat out the last two days of practice after experiencing fainting spells and UH coach Riley Wallace said Tatum will undergo heart and blood tests today as a precautionary measure.

"He said he's had it before, so they want to check it out," Wallace said. "They want to check for the worst. We're very good here about protecting these kids."

Wallace said Tatum could play tonight if he receives medical clearance, but added that he definitely won't start.

Tatum, a 6-foot-3 junior, has started 13 games this season including the last 10. He averages 4.7 points and 1.9 assists per game, and has provided the Rainbows a steady hand at point guard and tough defense.

Sophomore Matt Gibson and senior Jake Sottos will likely start in the back court for tonight's game. Sophomores Bobby Nash and Kris Groce may also figure in the rotation.

Gibson has started seven games and is second on the team in scoring at 11.4 points and has a team-high 42 assists.

Sottos suffered strained ligaments in his right foot last week, but got his first career start last Saturday against Boise State. He is averaging 17.5 points over the last four games and leads the Rainbows with 25 3-point goals.

Big plans: Wallace hopes added national television exposure for the WAC will translate into a boost for the Rainbows' recruiting.

According to published reports, the conference will be included in ESPN's Big Monday package next season. An ESPN spokesperson said a deal has not been finalized, but WAC commissioner Karl Benson said Monday that the league had been in discussions with the network.

"The kids want to be on TV. So every little bit we get helps the conference," Wallace said. "It helped our recruiting in the past because we were on more than anybody -- us and Fresno State. It had been midnight (Eastern time) games in the past, which is why (Hawaii games) were a good fit for them."

UH's game at Nevada on Jan. 1 was televised on ESPN2 and was the Rainbows' only scheduled national television appearance this season. They could get another if the network picks up UH's Bracket Busters Saturday game on Feb. 19.

Big Monday currently features the Big East, Big 12 and Mountain West conferences. The WAC had been part of the lineup before being replaced by the MWC in 1999.

New look: Gibson, who has sported several hair-dos this season, showed off a clean-cut look at yesterday's practice. He had tied his hair into corn rows for several games or let his long locks flow freely.

"I love it," the closely shorn Wallace said. "He looks like an all-American kid."