WAC TOURNAMENT
Riley era resumes
The departing Hawaii basketball coach still has at least the WAC tournament left
Though there was a sense of finality to Saturday's heartfelt send-off, the Riley Wallace era at the University of Hawaii isn't quite over yet.
WAC Tournament,
Las Cruces, N.M.
Rainbow Warriors
What: First round
Who: Hawaii (18-12, 8-8) vs. Utah State (21-10, 9-7)
When: Thursday, 11:30 a.m. Hawaii time
TV: KFVE, Ch. 5
Radio: KKEA, 1420-AM
Rainbow Wahine
What: First round
Who: Hawaii (15-13, 9-7) vs. Fresno State (17-12, 9-7)
When: Wednesday, 9 a.m. Hawaii time
TV: None
Radio: KKEA, 1420-AM
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The Rainbow Warrior basketball team departed yesterday morning, bound for Las Cruces, N.M., where they open Western Athletic Conference tournament play Thursday against Utah State. They're taking a four-game winning streak with them.
The Rainbows (18-12, 8-8 WAC), in search of a 10th postseason bid in Wallace's tenure, are the tournament's fifth seed, and Utah State (21-10, 9-7) is fourth. Thursday's game is scheduled for 11:30 a.m. Hawaii time.
Fresh off strong senior-night performances, Hawaii co-captains Matt Lojeski and Ahmet Gueye earned All-WAC honors yesterday. Lojeski, UH's leading scorer, was a second-team selection. Gueye, the WAC's second-leading shot blocker, made the All-Defensive team for the second straight year.
Lojeski was also named WAC Player of the Week for the second time this season after scoring a career-high 35 points in Saturday's 92-75 win over Boise State.
The victory in their regular-season finale was followed by a rousing senior-night ceremony for Gueye, Lojeski and Wallace, who is completing his 20th and final season as UH head coach.
Smith named to WAC's first team
Two Hawaii players were honored with postseason basketball awards as selected by the Western Athletic Conference's nine head coaches yesterday.
Tanya Smith, a junior out of Sydney, Australia, was named to the All-WAC first team. The 6-foot-3 forward led Hawaii in scoring with 14.4 points per game and rebounding with 10.4 boards per game. Smith notched nine double-doubles on the season, and led the WAC with a .571 field goal percentage in conference play.
Senior Brittany Grice was named to the All-Defensive Team for the second consecutive year. The Redondo Beach, Calif., native had 38 blocks on the season, and led the WAC with 1.8 blocks per game in conference play. Her 132 career blocks in WAC games ranks her third in the all-time conference record book.
The Rainbow Wahine won eight of their final nine regular-season games and finished the campaign with a 15-13 overall record. The squad's 9-7 mark in the WAC earned Hawaii the fifth seed in this week's WAC tournament in Las Cruces, N.M.
In Wednesday's quarterfinal matchup, the Rainbow Wahine meet the fourth-seeded Fresno State at 9 a.m. Hawaii time.
Star-Bulletin staff
WAC Tournament
All games at the Pan American Center (All times Hawaii time)
Men
Tuesday
Game 1: No. 9 Idaho vs. No. 8 San Jose State, 4:30 p.m.
Thursday
Game 2: Game 1 winner vs. No. 1 Nevada, 9 a.m.
Game 3: No. 5 Hawaii vs. No. 4 Utah State, 11:30 a.m.
Game 4: No. 6 Boise State vs. No. 3 Fresno State, 3 p.m.
Game 5: No. 7 Louisiana Tech vs. No. 2 New Mexico State, 5:30 p.m.
Friday
Semifinals
Game 6: Winner Game 2 vs. Winner Game 3, 3 p.m.
Game 7: Winner Game 4 vs. Winner Game 5, 5:30 p.m.
Saturday
Championship
Game 8: Winner Game 6 vs. Winner Game 7, 4 p.m. (ESPN2)
Women
Tuesday
Game 1: No. 9 Idaho vs. No. 8 San Jose State, 2 p.m.
Wednesday
Game 2: No. 5 Hawaii vs. No. 4 Fresno State, 9 a.m.
Game 3: Game 1 winner vs. No. 1 Boise State, 11:30 a.m.
Game 4: No. 7 New Mexico State vs. No. 2. Louisiana Tech, 3 p.m.
Game 5: No. 6 Utah State vs. No. 3 Nevada 5:30 p.m.
Friday
Semifinals
Game 6: Winner Game 2 vs. Winner Game 3, 9 a.m.
Game 7: Winner Game 4 vs. Winner Game 5, 11:30 a.m.
Saturday
Championship
Game 8: Winner Game 6 vs. Winner Game 7, 10 a.m.
