Slumping Rainbow Wahine take on SMU

By Ann Miller
Advertiser Staff Writer

•	Game facts WHO: Hawai'i (11-8, 5-5 WAC) vs. SMU (12-8, 6-4) WHERE: Stan Sheriff Center WHEN: 7 tonight TV/RADIO: KFVE/1420 AM TICKETS: $7 adults, $6 senior citizens, $4 students PARKING: $3

Hawai'i (11-8) has lost its last three to fall into the middle of a huge WAC pack at 5-5. Until Thursday's loss against ninth-ranked Louisiana Tech, the Rainbows hadn't lost three in a row in more than four years. They have not lost four in a row since the injury-wracked 6-20 season a dozen years ago.

Looking for a cure for losing is not a challenge Hawai'i often faces. Even now, UH coach Vince Goo won't put his team's struggle in terms of wins and losses.

"We don't talk about losing three in a row, we don't talk about winning three in a row," Goo says. "We talk about our last game and what we've got coming up."

SMU (12-8, 6-4 WAC) has always presented problems, but it is chasing its own challenges this year. Coming off one of their worst seasons, the Mustangs have gone through radical mood swings.

They upset 15th-ranked Oklahoma in December and are the only WAC team, other than Tech, to beat Tulsa. They also outscored Hawai'i 15-3 at the end of a 66-56 victory in Dallas last month.

But last weekend SMU went on the road trip from hell, falling at UTEP and Boise State. It has gone through 10 starting lineups and is eighth in WAC defense.

This could be the night the Rainbow Wahine offense, shooting 31 percent during this slide, gets well.

But first, Hawai'i has to find a cure for Andrea Cossey. The SMU junior is fourth in WAC scoring and also one of the most prolific 3-point shooters. She has scored half the Mustangs' baskets and buried six 3-pointers on three occasions. Ask the Rainbow Wahine what they remember about SMU and the answer is easy.

"Cossey, Cossey, Cossey," Kim Willoughby says. "She's a really great player. Overall they played really scrappy. They go after the long rebounds because they shoot 3's more than they shoot from the posts."

Thursday's loss to the class of the WAC was a milestone in Willoughby's athletic career. She had never before lost three games in a row, in volleyball or basketball, high school or college. There have been years when she hasn't lost three times.

"There is a first for everything," she said, shrugging it off. "It's not about when you lose, it's about how you come back, about what you do tomorrow in practice. Do you walk in and play sloppy and hang your head or do you work really, really hard and bust your butt to make sure you get everything done?"

OVER AND BACK: SMU and Boise State both won on the road Thursday. They are the first WAC teams, other than Louisiana Tech, to win away from home in three weeks. ... LaTech is now 200-13 in conference games. It has played in the American South, Sun Belt and WAC. ... Cheryl Ford's 17 points and seven rebounds against UH left her three rebounds short of her 14th double-double this season. It is the first time she has not had a double-double in a WAC game and the first time Hawai'i has held her to fewer than 12 rebounds. ... Hawai'i is now 0-10 against Tech and has lost its last 13 games against ranked teams.