Motivation no problem for UH, So. Methodist
By Dayton Morinaga
Advertiser Staff Writer
Less than 24 hours after an unexpected loss to Louisiana Tech, the University of Hawai'i men's basketball team was banded together yesterday.
In a show of solidarity, the 13 Rainbow Warriors wore white head bands during practice yesterday.
"It's a unity thing," senior guard Michael Kuebler said. "It was a way of telling each other we're still in this thing together."
The 'Bows were upset by Louisiana Tech, 62-61, on Thursday. They dropped to 16-5 overall and fell out of first place in the Western Athletic Conference for the first time in three weeks.
At 8-3 in the WAC, Hawai'i is a half-game behind Texas-El Paso.
"It's not the end of the world," Hawai'i head coach Riley Wallace said. "Nobody's going to be in control of the conference the whole way. We're still in it, we just have to make sure we stay in it."
The 'Bows will try to stay in it tonight with another WAC home contest against a resurgent Southern Methodist.
The Mustangs are 10-12 overall and 4-8 in the WAC. In their last three games, they have upset Nevada, lost by one point in double-overtime to Fresno State, and beat San Jose State on the road.
"We're certainly playing better than we did in January, when Hawai'i came to us and jumped all over us at our place," SMU head coach Mike Dement said. "But with Hawai'i losing here (Thursday) night, you know you're going to get an extra jolt of their energy."
The 'Bows were already showing it yesterday.
Before yesterday's practice, the team held a players-only meeting.
"We just felt like we let one get away, and it was our own doing," Kuebler said. "We put ourselves in it, so we need to work ourselves out of it."
After the players' meeting, Wallace conducted another meeting, telling his team that their roles were once again "wide open."
"I wasn't happy with the way the practices were going before that (Louisiana Tech) game," he said. "So I let them know that it all starts with practice, and the guys that show me something in practice are the ones who are going to get in the games."
Shortly after the meetings, the 'Bows put on their head bands, and ran out of the locker room as a team like they do on game nights.
"We're looking at it like a new start," Kuebler said. "I think we're confident that we're not going to put in another performance like we did (Thursday)."
Hawai'i will need to be at its best against the Mustangs.
SMU starts three of the WAC's most athletic players in point guard Bryan Hopkins, shooting guard Justin Isham and power forward Patrick Simpson.
Hopkins, a 6-foot sophomore, leads the team with 16.3 points per game. He had 22 points, six rebounds and five assists in a 66-65 loss to Hawai'i in Dallas last month.
The Mustangs defeated San Jose State, 62-55, on Thursday for their first road victory in the WAC this season.
"They're probably feeling good about themselves," Wallace said. "They went to Purdue and won and they beat Nevada, so that tells you they can be a pretty good team."
Ultimately, it could come down to a battle of wills.
"They'll be looking for revenge because we beat them at their place," Kuebler said. "And we're looking to come back from a loss we felt like shouldn't have happened. There's a lot of motivation on both sides."
Reach Dayton Morinaga at dmorinaga@honoluluadvertiser.com or 535-8101.
