'Bows win third road game in row

By Dayton Morinaga
Advertiser Staff Writer

Hawai'i's Phil Martin out-jumps Louisiana Tech's Donell Allick for a rebound in yesterday's WAC game in Ruston, La. Associated Press

The Rainbow Warriors made history with a 67-60 Western Athletic Conference victory over Louisiana Tech last night at the Thomas Assembly Center. In the quiet town of Ruston, it was quite a statement.

"It's a phenomenon," UH senior co-captain Phil Martin said. "We heard all the talk about how we're not supposed to win on the road. Well, guess what? We just did."

Last night's victory capped an 11-day road trip that started at the point farthest west in the WAC (Honolulu), and ended in the point farthest east (Ruston). The 'Bows wound up winning three games in three different states to improve to 12-3 overall and 4-1 in the WAC. Louisiana Tech dropped to 8-8 and 2-4.

It is the first time in 25 seasons of WAC regular-season competition that the 'Bows were able to sweep a three-game road trip. Hawai'i usually makes one three-game trip per season.

"You have to be surprised," Hawai'i head coach Riley Wallace said. "We've never had a team that's done this, so nobody could have expected it."

What's more, the 'Bows did it by winning in the state of Louisiana for the first time since a victory over Centenary in 1976 — when Wallace was an assistant coach on that Centenary staff. It was also UH's first victory in the Thomas Assembly Center.

Even more impressive, the 'Bows did it on a night when they were not at their best.

"I thought we looked more tired than we did the first two games (of the trip)," Wallace said. "But we had just enough, and if it means a win on the road, we'll take it any way we can get it."

Julian Sensley scored a career-high 19 points, and Martin and Michael Kuebler added 14 each to lead a balanced attack. As proof of the team bonding that took place during the trip, the 'Bows finished with 18 assists, and each of the five starters had at least two assists and four points.

"That's our offense," said point guard Logan Lee, who had eight points and two assists. "The other team knows it, but we still run it. We know if we're patient and we put our minds to it, we'll make it work."

Of UH's 26 field goals, 14 were layups or dunks. In the crucial second half, the 'Bows were able to sneak behind the Louisiana Tech defense for nine layups.

"If you don't have that great energy defensively when you play Hawai'i, they will pick you apart," Louisiana Tech head coach Keith Richard said. "It's something we worked on the last two days. We knew it was coming, and yet we were a step slow all night."

Wallace added: "We set good picks and mixed up our offense. Once we get into that offense, we'll get a lot of easy ones if we're patient, and we were."

Both teams struggled early, and the first half ended with Hawai'i ahead, 26-24, after a buzzer-beating baseline shot by Paul Jesinskis.

The 'Bows never lost the lead in the second half. They seized control with a 12-0 run that increased a 39-36 lead to 51-36.

Sensley scored seven points during the surge, including a breakaway dunk. He made 9 of 11 shots during the game, and also contributed six rebounds and two assists.

"It shows what kind of team we are," said the former Kalaheo High star. "When teams put pressure like that on (Kuebler), the rest of us have to pick up the slack."

Kuebler entered the game as the WAC's leading scorer with 19.7 points per game. He shot just 4 of 11 from the field, but had six rebounds and three assists and played all 40 minutes.

"For not scoring like he normally does, he still had a pretty good game," Wallace said.

The Bulldogs got as close as five in the game's final five minutes, but the 'Bows secured the victory by making five of six free throws in the final 1:18.

Tech freshman Paul Millsap played up to his young reputation with 16 points and 15 rebounds. He entered the game ranked No. 1 in the NCAA with an average of 12.3 rebounds per game.

Tech out-rebounded Hawai'i 42-30. However, the Bulldogs shot only 37.3 percent from the field, and made only 11 of 21 free throws (52.4 percent). In contrast, Hawai'i shot 49.1 percent from the field, and made 12 of 15 free throws (80 percent).

"If we took care of the rebounding, it would have been a wipeout," Martin said. "It just goes to show that we still have work to do."

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