Hawai'i knows good things come in 3s for SMU

By Brandon Masuoka
Advertiser Staff Writer

•	Rainbow Wahine WHO: Hawai'i (3-9, 1-2) vs. Southern Methodist (7-6, 3-1) WHEN: Today, 7 p.m. WHERE: Stan Sheriff Center TV/RADIO: Live on KFVE (Channel 5)/KKEA 1420 TICKETS: $7 adults, $6 senior citizens, free for children ages 4-18 and UH students with valid ID. PARKING: $3

Hawai'i faces the 3-point shooting machine known as SMU in a Western Athletic Conference game tonight at the Stan Sheriff Center. Tipoff is 7 p.m.

The first-place Mustangs are the WAC's most trigger-happy team from 3-point territory. In 13 games, SMU leads the conference in 3-point attempts (263) and 3-pointers made (81), and shoots 31 percent from long range.

"They take about 20 3-point attempts per game," Hawai'i coach Vince Goo. "So knowing they're going to play us, it's probably going to be more like 35 or 40. We're going to have to go out and stop that."

In an odd twist, Hawai'i's opponents shoot better beyond the 3-point line than inside of it. In 12 games, Hawai'i has allowed opponents to shoot 39 percent overall compared to 36 percent from 3-point territory. Only Boise State is more generous in WAC 3-point defense, allowing 37 percent.

"We're going to have to defend the 3 and play tighter," Goo said. "It seems like people come out and have their best 3-point shooting night against us."

Hawai'i has never lost to SMU in Honolulu, posting a 7-0 record with six of those wins coming at the Stan Sheriff Center.

Tonight's game will be Hawai'i's first home game in 23 days. The Rainbows went 1-2 on their first WAC road trip earlier this month.

"Hawai'i has a lot of tradition winning at home," UH center Brittany Grice said. "It's really important that we pick it up. We've been practicing really hard since we've come back. I think we're starting to go in the right direction."

For that to happen, Hawai'i needs to recover from its last game where it allowed a school-record 12 3-pointers in a 73-45 loss at San Jose State.

Against the Spartans, the Rainbows employed a 2-3 zone and negated the Spartans' post players, but could not stop shooters spotting up from 3-point territory.

"With every team, there's certain weaknesses and strong points," UH guard Brittney Aiwohi said. "We take it as a team-by-team basis. With SMU, they take a lot of 3s, too. So we're looking to put a little more pressure outside."

Hawai'i will have to do that without two starters, center Callie Spooner and guard Pam Tambini. Both are recovering from foot injuries.

Guard Amy Sanders has replaced Tambini, and the 6-foot-4 Grice and 6-foot-1 Amber Lee have split minutes to replace Spooner, who is one of UH's so-called "veterans" as a sophomore.

"Grice can really play, more than it's been shown," Aiwohi said. "She's really strong in the post. She's not a typical tall girl, (playing) off balance. She has a lot of coordination."

Aiwohi said Lee is a little shorter in the post, but she's a lot more athletic than most interior players.

"She's quicker," Aiwohi said. "She can jump. A lot of post players will look at her and say she's small. But she's really rough and tough in the post."

Reach Brandon Masuoka at bmasuoka@honoluluadvertiser.com or 535-2458.