Rainbows' final push starts today at San Jose
The University of Hawai'i men's basketball team went to the movies to watch "Ghost Rider" last night in San Jose, Calif.
Today, the Rainbow Warriors will try to ride off with a victory when they play San Jose State in a Western Athletic Conference game at The Event Center. The game is scheduled to start at 5 p.m. (Hawai'i time). It will not be televised.
"We need this one, no question," Hawai'i head coach Riley Wallace said. "We keep talking about making that run at the end of the year, and it's here now."
Hawai'i is 15-12 overall and in seventh place in the WAC at 5-8. The 'Bows have three regular-season games remaining, and they are aiming to win all three to improve their seeding for the WAC Tournament.
"If we can get to 8-8 (in the WAC), we'll be OK," Wallace said. "Because that will mean we have some momentum going to the tournament."
Today is as good a chance as any for the 'Bows to win on the road.
San Jose State is 4-23 overall and in eighth place in the WAC at 3-11. What's more, the Spartans have lost eight consecutive games to Hawai'i, including a 72-52 loss on Jan. 25 in the Stan Sheriff Center.
"It's the WAC, so you have to look at every game as a tough one," Hawai'i junior point guard Matt Gibson said. "You can't take any team lightly, but at the same time, we're confident going into this one."
In last month's game, the 'Bows jumped to a 38-8 lead and then cruised the rest of the way. It was also Hawai'i's first game using a revamped defensive scheme designed by associate coach Bob Nash.
"I think we caught them off guard with that," Wallace said. "We took them out of it early. But we were at home and we're always better at home. This time, they're at home."
Oddly enough, the 'Bows beat the Spartans into San Jose.
Hawai'i arrived in San Jose late Thursday night and practiced in The Event Center yesterday afternoon.
The Spartans lost a road game at Boise State, 83-64, on Thursday night, and returned to San Jose yesterday afternoon.
"I think we got their practice time because they weren't back yet," Wallace said. "They had to practice at night, after us. But that's the way it's been all year in the WAC. Everybody's had these weird schedules."
Despite the success of a "small" lineup last week in a road victory at Long Beach State, Wallace said he will stick with his usual "big" starters: 6-foot-5 Gibson at point guard, 6-6 Matt Lojeski at shooting guard, 6-6 Bobby Nash at small forward, 6-8 P.J. Owsley at power forward, and 6-8 Ahmet Gueye at center.
Riley Luettgerodt, a 6-5 guard, scored 23 points off the bench in relief of Owsley in the win at Long Beach State. He will continue to play a reserve role.
"When ever my name is called, I'm confident I can come in and help the team in a couple of different ways," Luettgerodt said. "It doesn't matter if it's 33 minutes or 10 minutes."
The 'Bows can go even smaller by bringing in 6-1 Dominic Waters, or bigger by using 6-11 Stephen Verwers.
"We have a lot of versatility this year," Gibson said. "The key is to find the right time to use the right lineup."
The Spartans will counter with a three-guard offense that features 5-11 Jamon Hill, 6-1 Kevin Buggs and 6-2 Carlton Spencer on the perimeter, and 6-8 Lance Holloway and 6-10 Menelik Barbary in the post.
"The small guys are dangerous because they like to penetrate and take you off the dribble, and we've had our problems with that," Wallace said. "But they have that big guy (Barbary) in the middle, too. We have to play a good defensive game again."
As Luettgerodt said: "San Jose's whole offense is based on penetration, and either scoring inside or dishing to an open man. We shut them down the last time, but they'll play with more confidence at home. We just have to contain their penetration, basically."
NOTES
Hawai'i will play its final two regular-season games at home next week. The 'Bows will host Idaho on March 1, and then Boise State for "Senior Night" on March 3. The Boise State game will also be Riley Wallace's last home game as Hawai'i head coach.
