UH basketball hopes to turn up heat at home
By Dayton Morinaga
Advertiser Staff Writer
The University of Hawai'i men's basketball team returned to Honolulu yesterday, and all they could think about was heating up.
"What we need to do now is close out strong at home," senior co-captain Phil Martin said. "If we can stay hot down this stretch, especially at home, we should be right there."
The Rainbow Warriors returned from the freezing temperatures of Tulsa, still in a tie for first place in the Western Athletic Conference. The 'Bows went 1-1 on their seven-day road trip, losing at Rice, 76-73, then beating Tulsa, 73-71 in double overtime.
Hawai'i is 15-4 overall and 7-2 in the WAC, tied for first with Rice.
"We were hoping to get two on the road, but we got a split and we're still in first place," junior forward Jeff Blackett said. "Coming into the trip, we felt like we'd be OK as long as we came back in first place because we knew we had three home games coming up."
The 'Bows, who are 9-2 in the Stan Sheriff Center this season, will host last place San Jose State on Saturday. They will remain at home next week for games against Louisiana Tech on Feb. 12, and SMU on Feb. 14. Hawai'i beat those three teams on the road this season.
"It's still early," Hawai'i head coach Riley Wallace said. "We already let one (WAC game against Fresno State) get away at home, so we need to take care of the rest."
With its road split last week, Hawai'i improved to 6-2 away from home this season. Only three other teams in UH history have won more away games (including games at neutral sites).
The 'Bows have at least six more road games this season, and are seeking to become just the third UH team in 25 years of WAC competition to post a winning road record.
"This team probably plays together as a team better than any we've had before," Wallace said. "Other teams have had more firepower, but this one stays together and beats you as a team. They back each other up, and I think that's why they've been able to win some on the road."
As their reward, the 'Bows got yesterday and today off.
"They need to rest and recover and catch up on some school work," Wallace said. "We don't play until Saturday, so this is a good time to rest a little bit."
• Bracket talk: The official pairings for ESPN's Bracket Buster Saturday will be announced today.
Wallace said he expects Hawai'i to play at Southern Illinois for the Feb. 21 event. The Salukis are 16-2 overall and in first place in the Missouri Valley Conference at 10-0.
In last season's inaugural Bracket Buster, the WAC leader in early February (Fresno State) was matched up against the Missouri Valley leader (Creighton).
"I'd rather not go (to Southern Illinois)," Wallace said. "It's a tough place to get to, and they're very good. But we'll go where ever they send us."
Whether it's Southern Illinois, Hawai'i will have to travel a long way. Other leading candidates to host the 'Bows include Western Michigan, Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Illinois-Chicago, Louisiana-Lafayette and Miami (Ohio).
Hawai'i won at Kent State, 79-78, in last season's Bracket Buster. The 'Bows are the only WAC team traveling for two consecutive years. Fresno State, Rice, Nevada and Tulsa will host Bracket Buster games on Feb. 21.
Reach Dayton Morinaga at dmorinaga@honoluluadvertiser.com or 535-8101.
