Savovic leads Warriors to victory over Nevada

By Dayton Morinaga
Advertiser Staff Writer

The University of Hawai'i men's basketball team apparently is taking the term "defending champions" seriously.

Hawai'i's Luc-Arthur Vebobe gets fouled by Nevada's Kevinn Pinkney while going up for shot in the first half last night. Eugene Tanner • The Honolulu Advertiser

A crowd of 5,935 at the Stan Sheriff Center watched Hawai'i improve to 11-2 overall and 2-0 in the WAC. It is UH's first 2-0 start in conference action since the 1993-94 season, and for at least one day, the 'Bows sit alone atop the WAC standings.

Hawai'i, which won the WAC Tournament championship last season, has won five consecutive games, and 16 of its last 17 in the Stan Sheriff Center dating to last season.

"This was a good one," UH head coach Riley Wallace said. "(Nevada) is much improved over a year ago, and they made us work for this one."

Savovic joined the 1,000-point club by scoring 19 last night, including five 3-pointers. He was the only Hawai'i player to score in double-figures.

"He's going to carry us sometimes," Wallace said. "But he still takes those crazy, wild shots off and on. If I can ever get him out of that, it'd be wonderful, but I think he wants me to be on the edge with him."

Savovic made six of 14 shots, including 5-of-10 from 3-point range, and became the ninth player in UH history to score 1,000 points in a career. He now ranks eighth on the UH scoring list with 1,015 points.

"He had a couple of open looks," Nevada head coach Trent Johnson said. "But the way (Hawai'i) runs things offensively, they do a good job of getting him the ball."

But with Savovic virtually the only player hitting shots consistently, the 'Bows turned to an in-your-face, man-to-man defense that limited the Wolf Pack to a field goal percentage of .296.

The 40 points was the fewest a UH team has allowed since 1982, and the lowest total by a Nevada team since 1967.

"Defense isn't anything special," said UH point guard Mark Campbell, who recorded four steals. "It's just effort and wanting to stop your guy."

Campbell held Nevada point guard Andre Hazel scoreless on 0-of-6 shooting.

Savovic also did his share, helping limit Nevada guard Garry Hill-Thomas to 10 points on 4-of-15 shooting. Hill-Thomas entered last night's game ranked second in the WAC with 19.6 points per game.

"If you continue to play defense, it'll win games," Wallace said. "You can hang around and then wait for your shooters to get hot. It either catches you up or blows it open."

That's exactly what happened last night, as UH struggled in the first half, shooting just 9-of-29 from the field. Savovic's fourth 3-pointer of the first half gave Hawai'i a 25-24 lead at halftime.

Wallace said he challenged his players at halftime: "The talk was like we were behind because we know we're better than that."

UH opened the second half with a 7-0 run that increased the lead to 32-24. The 'Bows never relinquished the lead, although the Wolf Pack got as close as four.

Senior reserves Mindaugas Burneika and Mike McIntyre played key roles in the second-half. Burneika hit two 3-pointers during an 8-0 run that increased a 34-30 lead to an insurmountable 42-30.

Moments later, McIntyre recorded two steals and scored all five of his points during a two-minute blitz that put the game away at 47-34 with 7:48 remaining.

"It was just energy," McIntyre said. "We all had to come together and have one mindset."

With Savovic tying his career-high with five 3s, Hawai'i hit a season-high 10 3-pointers, just two nights after making nine in a victory over Fresno State.

After shooting 31 percent in the first half, the 'Bows converted 57 percent (12-of-21) in the decisive second half.

In contrast, Nevada scored just 16 points after halftime on 7-of-25 shooting.

Savovic did not play the final eight minutes of the game after taking an elbow to the middle of his back from Nevada center Sean Paul. Although Savovic writhed on the court in apparent pain, Wallace said there was no injury.

"He was alright when he went down," Wallace said. "The best answer to that is 'I am Savo.' "

Terrance Green led the Wolf Pack with 18 points. Nevada, which dropped to 8-4 overall and 1-1 in the WAC, out-rebounded Hawai'i, 41-31.

"They out-hustled us and out-worked us on the boards," Wallace said. "But I'm not complaining."

Hawai'i will make its first WAC road trip of the season, traveling to Texas-El Paso on Thursday, and then Boise State on Saturday.