UH flying high after road success
By Dayton Morinaga
Advertiser Staff Writer
Win all your home games and split on the road.
Road records (including games at neutral sites) for UH men's basketball teams since joining the Western Athletic Conference in 1979-80: Season Overall WAC 2003-04*: 5-1 3-0 * There are at least eight more road games remaining this season
That's a time-tested formula that usually leads to championship contention in the Western Athletic Conference.
'Bows on the road
2002-03: 4-11 1-8
2001-02: 11-5 6-3
2000-01: 4-9 1-7
1999-2000: 2-8 1-6
1998-99: 0-8 0-8
1997-98: 4-4 4-3
1996-97: 5-5 5-3
1995-96: 3-9 2-7
1994-95: 3-9 1-8
1993-94: 7-10 4-5
1992-93: 2-8 2-7
1991-92: 4-7 3-5
1990-91: 3-9 2-6
1989-90: 9-8 3-5
1988-89: 6-8 4-4
1987-88: 1-11 0-8
1986-87: 1-10 0-8
1985-86: 0-10 0-8
1984-85: 1-8 1-7
1983-84: 2-10 1-7
1982-83: 4-6 3-5
1981-82: 2-6 2-6
1980-81: 2-7 2-6
1979-80: 2-7 2-6
But win all your road games and split at home?
That's what the University of Hawai'i men's basketball team has done to climb into early contention this WAC season.
"You're not supposed to do that in this league, especially us," Hawai'i head coach Riley Wallace said. "But I said from the start, this team has the potential to do some special things. We're not quite at the level of that (2001-02) team, but this is a good start."
The Rainbow Warriors are 12-3 overall — in Wallace's 17 seasons as head coach, only that 2001-02 team started better at 13-2. They are also 4-1 in the WAC and in sole possession of second place, a half-game behind 5-1 Fresno State.
After opening the WAC season with a home loss to Fresno State, the 'Bows rebounded with a home win against Nevada.
Yesterday, they returned from an 11-day road trip that covered 8,200 miles. Their smiles were just as wide because they returned with road victories over San Jose State, Southern Methodist and Louisiana Tech.
"It feels like we won a marathon," senior co-captain Phil Martin said. "Nobody wants to be on the road for 11 days, but we got three wins out of it, so it's something we're going to remember."
It is the first time a Hawai'i team was able to sweep three WAC opponents on a single road trip during the regular season. At 3-0, Hawai'i is the only WAC team without a conference road loss so far this season.
"We've probably got them all wondering," Wallace said. "We never win on the road consistently, so I'm sure we caught a lot of people's attention."
The 'Bows are already 5-1 away from home this season.
To appreciate that, just look to the past. Since joining WAC basketball in the 1979-80 season, only two UH teams have finished the season with winning records away from home.
The 1989-90 team featuring Chris Gaines, Terry Houston and Vincent Smalls went 9-8 on the road. The 2001-02 team with Predrag Savovic and Carl English went 11-5 on the road.
"I heard all the talk about how hard it is to travel in this league," said sophomore point guard Logan Lee. "And it's all true. But we didn't let it affect us. We went into practice every day with the same intensity and and we didn't have any lapses."
One of the keys, according to Wallace, has been team unity. He said there are no cliques, and generally no complaints about the daily itinerary.
It helped that the 'Bows made time for fun activities on the road, including visits to various shopping malls. Even after basketball practices, the players would engage in a friendly games of H-O-R-S-E.
"It's a pretty close group," Wallace said. "You can see they all get along with each other."
With that, Wallace was able to make one of the most unlikely statements of his UH career: "Now, we have to make sure we keep it going at home."
Hawai'i will continue WAC play by hosting Texas-El Paso on Thursday, and then Boise State on Saturday.
Reach Dayton Morinaga at dmorinaga@honoluluadvertiser.com or 535-8101.
