Hawai'i will remain on road for second-round NIT game

By Dayton Morinaga
Advertiser Staff Writer

LAS VEGAS — Once again, the idea of another home game for the Hawai'i men's basketball team was just an illusion.

The Rainbow Warriors were told today that their second-round game for the National Invitation Tournament will be at Minnesota. The game is scheduled for Monday at 3 p.m. (Hawai'i time). As of this morning, UH officials were not told whether or not the game will be televised.

"We've done our share of traveling already this year," UH head coach Riley Wallace said. "So we're used to it. We're road warriors."

The 'Bows defeated Nevada-Las Vegas, 85-68, in a first-round game last night. Minnesota beat Saint Louis, 62-52, in another first-round game last night.

Because both Hawai'i and Minnesota were visiting teams for the first round of the NIT, UH athletic director Herman Frazier said he hoped the 'Bows would be able to offer a more attractive package as a second-round host.

"The NIT couldn't have been too pleased with the crowd (2,697 at UNLV's Thomas & Mack Center)," Frazier said. "I told them that we could get a much bigger and better crowd in Hawai'i."

However, the NIT's final four is held in New York, so the tournament trend is to keep sending teams toward the East as they advance. If Saint Louis had beat Minnesota last night, it was guaranteed to host a second-round game.

"We knew it was a long shot to get back home," Wallace said. "But we had in our minds anyway that we would have to travel again, so we were prepared (for the decision)."

The 'Bows will remain in Las Vegas today, and are trying to fly to Minneapolis either tomorrow or Saturday.

Hawai'i, which is 19-11, has never played Minnesota. The Golden Gophers from the Big Ten Conference are 17-12.