Hawai'i hopes to run through road blocks

By Dayton Morinaga
Advertiser Staff Writer

The road to the top of the Western Athletic Conference begins this week for the University of Hawai'i men's basketball team.

SHIMONOVICH

"If you want to be one of the top teams in the league, you have to win some on the road," Hawai'i head coach Riley Wallace said. "A couple teams have already won on the road, so we need to get some, too."

The 'Bows depart Honolulu tonight for a three-game road trip that will last 11 days and cover approximately 8,200 miles, round-trip.

Hawai'i will play at San Jose State Saturday, at Southern Methodist Jan. 15, and then at Louisiana Tech Jan. 17. All three are WAC games.

Hawai'i, which is 9-3 overall and 1-1 in the WAC, has not traveled to the Mainland this season. Its only "road" trip so far was to the Maui Invitational in Lahaina.

"That's why we're going a little early," Wallace said. "There's no school right now, so it gives us more time to get up there and get adjusted."

UH senior center and co-captain Haim Shimonovich is grateful. The basketball team does not use charter flights, so the players must sit in coach, often on a full flight.

Shimonovich — UH's biggest player at 6 feet 10 and 275 pounds — said: "It's very uncomfortable. I'm tired and sore for the next day. This time, we'll have some time to recover before the games, so that should help."

Based on tradition, the 'Bows could use the help. Since joining the WAC in the 1979-80 season, Hawai'i is 50-146 in conference road games, including 1-8 last season.

"It's just different on the road," Shimonovich said. "You can't do your regular routine like you do at home and you're stuck in the hotel most of time. Then you look out the window and there's no sunshine. Every place is so different from Hawai'i."

In an effort to avoid jet lag and hotel lag, Wallace said he will schedule at least two days off for the team during the trip.

"I'm not looking forward to all the traveling," said Logan Lee, who is in his first season with Hawai'i. "But I am looking forward to seeing all the different cities and playing the different teams in the league."

• Getting defensive: Hawai'i held Nevada to a season-low in points in a 60-53 victory on Monday. It was the Wolf Pack's lowest output since a 58-40 loss to Hawai'i in 2002, also in the Stan Sheriff Center. The 'Bows rank second in the WAC in scoring defense, allowing an average of 63.1 points per game.

Reach Dayton Morinaga at dmorinaga@honoluluadvertiser.com or 535-8101.