Rainbow Warriors vow not to overlook Miners

• Team-by-team look at Western athletic conference men's teams
• Today's lineups

By Dayton Morinaga
Advertiser Staff Writer

•	UH men's basketball RADIO: Hawai'i vs. Texas-El Paso will be broadcast live today on 1420 AM

The University of Hawai'i men's basketball team, which had reason to celebrate after beating previously undefeated Butler for the Rainbow Classic championship on Monday, is aware of the symptoms.

The Rainbow Warriors hope to avoid it tonight when they open the Western Athletic Conference season at Texas-El Paso. Tip-off is scheduled for 4:05 p.m. (Hawai'i time) at the Don Haskins Center.

"This is a dangerous game for us," senior captain Mark Campbell said. "We're coming off a big win and everybody's feeling good, but we can't take UTEP for granted. So many teams have that letdown after a big win, so we have to watch out."

Hawai'i's rally from a 21-point deficit against Butler has been the talk of the town the past few days. But while the victory was historic (believed to be the greatest comeback in UH history), the timing could have been better.

The team's postgame meal lasted until nearly midnight on Monday, just seven hours before their scheduled flight to El Paso, Texas. The 'Bows arrived in El Paso Tuesday around 9 p.m., and then rang in the new year with a team meeting.

They had only last night's two-hour practice to prepare for the Miners.

"We focused so much on the Rainbow Classic that we just didn't have time to look extensively at UTEP," said UH associate coach and chief scout of opponents, Bob Nash. "The only thing I know about them right now is that they're located in El Paso."

Perhaps fortunately for the 'Bows, the Miners are struggling under first-year head coach Billy Gillispie.

"We're not where we want to be yet," Gillispie said. "But we're excited about starting the conference because we're all working together and learning together and feel like we're developing."

Hawai'i is 7-1 and on a five-game winning streak. The 'Bows were predicted to finish either first or second in the WAC in most preseason polls.

In contrast, UTEP is 2-7 and has lost seven of its last eight. The Miners and Boise State — UH's Saturday opponent — were predicted to finish at the bottom of the conference in most polls.

"We have two tough games, but two winnable games," UH leading scorer Carl English said. "And if we play the way we did (against Butler), with a lot of heart, we'll win."

The Miners' problems started when Jason Rabedeaux resigned as head coach one week after practice started. A few players also left the team, leaving Gillispie with a roster of 10 when he was hired three weeks before the season opener.

That roster is now at eight.

UTEP's top player, senior forward and four-year starter Roy Smallwood, suffered a season-ending knee injury two weeks ago, and reserve guard Brandon Clausen will sit out the remainder of the season for academic reasons.

"Losing Roy was big, he's one of the all-time leading scorers in the school," Gillispie said. "But we will not use depth as an excuse. We have eight guys, we'll play eight guys, and I don't know of too many teams out there that play more than eight or nine, anyway."

The two leading scorers — 6-8 forward John Tofi (13.9 points per game) and 6-3 guard Giovanni St. Amant (11.8) — are true freshmen.

"I think all our guys have stepped up and responded to the situation," Gillispie said. "We're just making the most with what we have."

Team-by-team look at Western athletic conference men's teams

BOISE STATE

• Non-conference record: 6-4
• Outlook: The Broncos were supposed to run an up-tempo offense under first-year head coach Greg Graham, but a .418 field-goal percentage has limited them to only 65.2 points per game. They do have a balanced attack, with four players averaging between 11.2 and 13.1 points per game.
• Player to watch: Jason Ellis, a 6-7 sophomore forward, is averaging 11.2 points per game and is second among WAC players with 8.7 rebounds per game.
• Significant victories: Won state bragging rights with wins over Idaho (75-67) and Idaho State (74-71, OT).
• Dates with UH: Saturday at Boise State; March 6 at Hawai'i.

FRESNO STATE

• Non-conference record: 7-2
• Outlook: The Bulldogs are off to an impressive start under first-year head coach Ray Lopes despite off-court distractions (the program placed itself on probation after violations that occurred before Lopes arrived were discovered). They are 6-0 at home.
• Player to watch: Jonathan Woods, a 6-7 junior forward, has led the team in scoring four times this season. He leads the team with 13.4 points per game, and was named WAC Player of the Week on Monday after averaging 23 points and eight rebounds in two games last week.
• Significant victories: None
• Dates with UH: Jan. 13 at Hawai'i; Jan. 23 at Fresno State.

HAWAI'I

• Non-conference record: 7-1
• Outlook: The Rainbow Warriors posted the best non-conference record among WAC teams and enter conference play on a five-game winning streak. Four starters return from last season's team that won the WAC regular-season and tournament championships.
• Player to watch: Carl English, a 6-5 junior guard, was preseason selection by the conference coaches as Player of the Year. He leads all WAC players with 19.4 points per game and 3.1 3-pointers per game.
• Significant victory: Home win over Butler (81-78, OT) for Rainbow Classic championship.

LOUISIANA TECH

• Non-conference record: 3-4
• Outlook: As might be expected, the Bulldogs have gone 3-0 at home and 0-4 on the road. That's because the road games have been at Florida, Mississippi State, Arkansas and Texas. On Monday, the Bulldogs came within eight (58-50) of No. 7 Texas.
• Player to watch: Antonio Meeking, a 6-8, 245-pound forward, could be the WAC's dominant low-post player. He leads the team with 17.1 points and 8.1 rebounds per game.
• Significant victories: None.
• Dates with UH: Jan. 11 at Hawai'i; Feb. 6 at Louisiana Tech.

NEVADA

• Non-conference record: 5-5
• Outlook: Even with their top three scorers from last season returning, the Wolf Pack has been inconsistent so far. For example, it lost at San Diego, 77-75, on Nov. 23, then beat that same San Diego team, 81-70, at home last Saturday. Nevada is the WAC's best rebounding team with an average of 40.4 per game.
• Player to watch: Kirk Snyder, a 6-foot-6 sophomore forward, has emerged as one of the WAC's most versatile players. He leads the team with 16.0 points per game and is second with 7.0 rebounds per game.
• Significant victories: None.
• Dates with UH: Jan. 25 at Nevada; Feb. 19 at Hawai'i.

RICE

• Non-conference record: 7-2
• Outlook: The Owls have been the WAC's surprise team of the non-conference season. They are 6-0 at home, and their only two losses have come at Stanford (79-62) and at Brigham Young (95-56). Four players are averaging double-figure points, led by Omar-Seli Mance's 15.8.
• Player to watch: Michael Harris, a 6-6 sophomore forward, was last season's WAC Freshman of the Year. He is averaging 14.2 points on 71 percent shooting, and 8.1 rebounds per game.
• Significant victory: Home win over Colorado (80-61).
• Dates with UH: Jan. 30 at Hawai'i; March 1 at Rice.

SAN JOSE STATE

• Non-conference record: 3-6
• Outlook: The Spartans, who have not had a winning season since 1993-94, got off to 3-2 start, then lost four straight under new head coach Phil Johnson. The Spartans are still trying to find their identity, as 12 different players have already started at least one game this season.
• Player to watch: Carlton "Oudie" Baker, a 6-6 junior forward, leads the team with 16.4 points and 6.3 rebounds per game. A highly touted recruit who sat out last season for personal reasons, Baker has already recorded three statistical double-doubles.
• Significant victory: Road win at Santa Clara (71-69).
• Dates with UH: Jan. 18 at San Jose State; Feb. 15 at Hawai'i.

SOUTHERN METHODIST

• Non-conference record: 4-5
• Outlook: The Mustangs feature perhaps the WAC's most exciting backcourt duo in Quinton Ross and Bryan Hopkins. Four starters returned from last season, but the Mustangs have been inconsistent, going 3-0 at home and 1-5 elsewhere.
• Player to watch: Quinton Ross, a 6-6 senior guard, is a WAC Player of the Year candidate. He is averaging 19.2 points per game, and already has three games with at least 28 points. He is also averaging 5.1 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game.
• Significant victories: Home wins over TCU (87-84, OT) and Baylor (66-58).
• Dates with UH: Jan. 9 at Hawai'i; Feb. 8 at SMU.

TEXAS-EL PASO

• Non-conference record: 2-7
• Outlook: The Miners struggled last season, and are expected to flounder again this season under first-year head coach Billy Gillispie. Senior forward Roy Smallwood, the top returning player, is out for the season because of a knee injury suffered two weeks ago. That leaves UTEP with eight active players.
• Player to watch: Justino Victoriano, a 6-9 senior forward, leads all WAC players with 9.4 rebounds per game. He already has five games with 10 or more rebounds.
• Significant victories: None.
• Dates with UH: Tomorrow at UTEP; March 8 at Hawai'i.

TULSA

• Non-conference record: 7-2
• Outlook: The Golden Hurricane dropped out of this week's Top 25 for the first time this season. They got as high as No. 17 on Dec. 9. The touted starting backcourt of Antonio Reed and Dante Swanson has started together in only five games this season because of various injuries to both players.
• Player to watch: Kevin Johnson, a 6-foot-8 senior forward, is a WAC Player of the Year candidate. He leads the team with 17.7 points and 8.3 rebounds per game.
• Significant victories: Road win at Arkansas (61-60) and home win over TCU (78-65).
• Dates with UH: Feb. 1 at Hawai'i; Feb. 27 at Tulsa (ESPN).