Wallace says no road game's easy

By Dayton Morinaga
Advertiser Staff Writer

The University of Hawai'i men's basketball team, undefeated in the Western Athletic Conference, will play winless San Jose State tomorrow. Easy victory for the Rainbow Warriors, right?

UH basketball players Lance Takaki, left, and Carl English. took new hair colors on the road with them yesterday. "It's just something we did for fun," English said. "It's not going to change who we are or how we play." Cory Lum • The Honolulu Advertiser

"San Jose State is one of the teams that, for some reason, plays us tough no matter what the records are," Wallace said. "I expect the same thing (today)."

The 'Bows, who are off to their best start in 30 years at 15-2 overall and 6-0 in the WAC, departed Honolulu yesterday morning for tomorrow's 5:30 p.m. (Hawai'i time) game at The Event Center in San Jose, Calif. Hawai'i has a nine-game winning streak packed with it.

The Spartans appear headed in the opposite direction. After six consecutive losses, San Jose State is 5-13 overall and 0-6 in the WAC.

"Because of the way things are going for us and going for them, people are expecting us to win this game," Wallace said. "But it's still the road and you still have to come out ready to play or any team can beat you."

Never one to buck a winning trend, Wallace is planning to stick with a similar itinerary as last year, when San Jose State was the only team Hawai'i defeated on the road during the regular season.

Because clients for a computer convention took up most of the hotel rooms in San Jose last year, the 'Bows were forced to stay a 30-minute drive away in Milpitas, Calif.

There is no such convention in San Jose this year, but guess where UH is staying ?

"Hey, if it works, why change?" Wallace said.

But as UH sophomore forward Carl English said: "Coach always has his same routines, and if it helps the team win, I'm all for it. But it doesn't really matter to me. I'm not as superstitious as he is."

The 'Bows are also hoping to continue a successful road trend started two weeks ago, when they won WAC games at Texas-El Paso and Boise State.

"Earlier in the year, you wouldn't say that we're supposed to (beat San Jose State) because the thing was Hawai'i doesn't win on the road," Wallace said. "But we went to two places that are tough to play and won. We have to remember what that was like and do it here."

Wallace was even upset earlier this week when two 'Bows — English and fan-favorite walk-on Lance Takaki — bleached their hair.

"I don't like it," Wallace said. "I don't like anything that draws attention to yourself."

• Back to Tulsa: WAC commissioner Karl Benson announced yesterday that the 2003 Williams WAC Men's and Women's Basketball Tournaments will be played in Tulsa, Okla.

Tulsa is also playing host to the tournament this year, just as it did last year.

Fresno State was originally awarded next year's tournament, but its new multi-million dollar facility, the Save Mart Center, will not be completed in time.

"I'd prefer for it to be in Hawai'i, actually," Wallace said. "But we won it in Tulsa last year, and it's a difficult thing to win no matter where it is, so it probably doesn't matter where."

• Good start: The UH men's basketball team is already guaranteed $2,001 in its Coaches vs. Cancer fund-raising campaign for this year.

At the fundraising tip-off dinner on Tuesday, UH radio color commentator Jeff Portnoy pledged a $1,000 donation. Wallace responded with a pledge of $1,001.

UH finished second in the nation last year (behind Syracuse) in money raised for the American Cancer Society, and Wallace was named the organization's Coach of the Year.

Fans can pledge money based on the number of 3-point shots the 'Bows make this season. For information, call 432-9153.