Hawai'i's next NIT stop in Minnesota

By Dayton Morinaga
Advertiser Staff Writer

Carl English, left, and Hawai'i coach Riley Wallace talk strategy during the Rainbows' game at Nevada-Las Vegas. Associated Press

The Rainbow Warriors were informed yesterday that their second round game for the National Invitation Tournament will be at Minneapolis against the University of Minnesota. The game is set to start at 3 p.m. (Hawai'i time) on Monday. It is not scheduled to be televised on ESPN.

"We've done our share of traveling already this year, so we're used to it," UH head coach Riley Wallace said. "We're road warriors. It seems like we've traveled all over the country this year."

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

Because Hawai'i and Minnesota were visiting teams for the first round, UH athletic director Herman Frazier said he hoped to convince NIT officials to move the second round game to the Stan Sheriff Center.

Only 2,697 fans were in attendance for Monday's game at UNLV's Thomas & Mack Center, and at least half of them were from Hawai'i.

"The NIT couldn't have been too pleased with the crowd," Frazier said. "I told them that we could get a much bigger and better crowd in Hawai'i."

The UH players and coaches were told on Monday night that another home game was a possibility, but as leading scorer Carl English said: "It was nice to think about, but we never got our hopes up. If (the NIT) didn't give us a home game at the start, we figured they weren't going to give us one in the next round. Our minds are set that we're going to have to do this on the road all the way."

The NIT's final four is held in New York, so it could work in Hawai'i's favor to keep moving east to minimize the travel time after each potential victory. If Hawai'i beats Minnesota, it will next play at the winner of today's game between Temple and Boston College.

"We knew it was a longshot 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)."

If Saint Louis had beaten Minnesota last night, it was guaranteed to host the second round game.

"I don't think it matters where they send us from here on out," English said. "Anywhere we go is not going to be like home."

Hawai'i will finish this season with a 15-1 home record, and will take a 4-10 road record into Minnesota's Williams Arena. The 'Bows are 19-11 overall, one victory shy of the seventh 20-win season in the program's history.

Minnesota from the Big Ten Conference is 17-12, including 14-3 in Williams Arena, which has a capacity 14,625. The Golden Gophers are averaging more than 13,000 fans per home game.

"From everybody I've talked to, it's a tough place to play," Wallace said. "And it's tougher because they always have a tough, disciplined team."

The Gophers have four players averaging double-figure points, led by Rick Rickert's 15.8 per game. The 6-11 sophomore forward also leads the team with 6.2 rebounds per game.

Rickert, 6-10 center Jerry Holman and 6-8 forward Michael Bauer are a formidable starting front line. They combine for 37.6 points and 16.4 rebounds per game.

"We're going to watch film on them the next couple days," Wallace said. "I don't know much about them except that they have some big guys who can play."

It will be the first meeting between Minnesota and Hawai'i, and the teams shared only one common opponent this season. The 'Bows beat Arkansas-Little Rock, 81-65, in a home game on Nov. 22; the Gophers needed overtime to beat Arkansas-Little Rock, 86-84, in a home game on Dec. 10.

The 'Bows will remain in Las Vegas today, and travel to Minneapolis tomorrow morning.

"We'll stay away from the cold as long as we can," Wallace said.

Day off: Wallace gave the team the day off yesterday, and most of the players went sightseeing on the Las Vegas strip.

"Gambling's not my thing, but it was good just to get our minds off basketball and traveling for a little bit," English said. "There's some good shops. I got a warm leather jacket so I can be ready for Minnesota."