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I know a lot of you guys use Hawaii games as your bail out special. So as a heads up, read what our newspaper had to say today...
In any case, good luck to all.
UH team stricken by flu-like symptoms
By Dayton Morinaga
Advertiser Staff Writer
The University of Hawai'i men's basketball team had a sick feeling yesterday, and it is hoping to find a remedy with a victory tonight.
Gipson
Three players and head coach Riley Wallace were suffering from flu-like symptoms yesterday. And that sick list did not include star forward Julian Sensley, who returned to practice after missing the previous two days with an illness.
"You're always concerned when it's affecting this many guys, especially the day before a game," Wallace said. "But there's not much we can do now. Just hope we're all better by (today) and hope nobody else gets it."
Sick or not, the Rainbow Warriors will host Southern Methodist in a Western Athletic Conference game tonight at the Stan Sheriff Center.
"Every game is important from here on out, and you can't look for excuses," senior forward Jeff Blackett said. "You just have to be ready to do even more than your part if other guys are out."
WAC MEN'S BASKETBALL
Who: Hawai'i (9-2 overall, 1-2 WAC) vs. SMU (7-5, 2-2)
Where: Stan Sheriff Center
When: Today, 7:05 p.m.
Tickets: $17 for lower level seats, $13 for upper level adult seats, $5 for upper level student seats, $3 for upper level UH student seats, $5 for Super Rooter and Manoa Maniacs seats. Parking is $3.
Promotion: "Welcome Back Students Night" — UH students get in free with valid identification. The free tickets are limited and will be distributed at 6 p.m. at Gate A.
TV/Radio: Live on KFVE (Ch. 5) and KKEA (1420 AM)
Starting forward "Big Matt" Gipson, reserve center Milos Zivanovic and walk-on Seth Caine were the sick players who skipped practice yesterday. Wallace coached the team, but from a seat on the side of the court.
The most significant illness is Gipson, who was expected to start if healthy.
Blackett will probably start at power forward, and Wallace said he hopes Gipson will be available in a reserve role, at least.
"He's a tough kid, so we'll see how he feels (today)," Wallace said of Gipson.
Sensley said he is "85 to 90 percent" and dropped five pounds during his two-day battle with the flu-like symptoms. He is expected to start tonight.
"I was only out two days, so it's not like I lost all my conditioning," Sensley said. "I'm just glad I was able to come back and get in one day of practice."
The Mustangs are not exactly a healthy team, either.
Star point guard Bryan Hopkins sat out of his second consecutive practice last night with an injury to his right (shooting) wrist. He is expected to start tonight.
Starting shooting guard Derrick Roberts did not even make the trip to Honolulu because of a knee injury.
"We're 7-5 but we're hard to gauge," first-year SMU head coach Jimmy Tubbs said. "I'd like to see a more consistent effort."
The Mustangs were often tabbed as underachievers in recent years, but Tubbs has invigorated the players with an up-tempo attack that is averaging 71.4 points per game.
"It's a whole different mindset," Tubbs said of the difference between this year's Mustangs and last year's group under former head coach Mike Dement.
Starting center Eric Castro said: "We had to deal with some injuries this year, but I would say we're still a better team now than we were last year."
Hopkins has received most of the attention. He is averaging 17.5 points and 4.8 assists per game, and leads the WAC with 37 3-pointers and 23 steals.
But as Sensley noted: "It's not like you have to just shut down one guy on that team. They have three or four others who are really good."
Among them is Castro, who is contributing 14.4 points and 7.1 rebounds per game, and leads the WAC with a 64 percent field-goal percentage.
"He's a real bull," Wallace said of the 6-foot-8, 250-pound Castro. "He posts up strong, so our guys are going to have to play strong against him."
Castro and 6-9 forward Patrick Simpson are both seniors; they have been starting at SMU since they were freshmen.
"It'll be a little strange to play Hawai'i and not go against (Haim) Shimonovich and (Phil) Martin," Castro said. "But they brought in a whole new roster of big guys so we'll have to play our game and execute."
Simpson is averaging 13.3 points and 7.0 rebounds per game, making SMU the only team with three players among the top 15 individual scoring leaders in the WAC.
Another returning starter from last season is 6-5 Justin Isham, who has tremendous leaping ability and is contributing 9.3 points and 3.6 rebounds per game.
Hawai'i associate coach Bob Nash, who is in charge of scouting opponents, said: "Their first six guys are as talented as any team in the conference."
The Mustangs utilize their skills by mixing their defensive looks throughout games. Wallace said he expects to see SMU employ "everything from a full-court trap, to half-court zones, and some man-to-man."
Even before his big men started getting sick this week, Wallace said the play of Hawai'i's guards would be crucial.
"We'll need to take care of the ball and execute our offense," he said. "(SMU) will try to force you into making mistakes, but we can't fall into that."
Hawai'i point guard Deonte Tatum said: "This game could give us more chances to run up and down, so that could be fun. But we still have to set the tone and not let them dictate it."
In any case, good luck to all.
UH team stricken by flu-like symptoms
By Dayton Morinaga
Advertiser Staff Writer
The University of Hawai'i men's basketball team had a sick feeling yesterday, and it is hoping to find a remedy with a victory tonight.
Gipson
Three players and head coach Riley Wallace were suffering from flu-like symptoms yesterday. And that sick list did not include star forward Julian Sensley, who returned to practice after missing the previous two days with an illness.
"You're always concerned when it's affecting this many guys, especially the day before a game," Wallace said. "But there's not much we can do now. Just hope we're all better by (today) and hope nobody else gets it."
Sick or not, the Rainbow Warriors will host Southern Methodist in a Western Athletic Conference game tonight at the Stan Sheriff Center.
"Every game is important from here on out, and you can't look for excuses," senior forward Jeff Blackett said. "You just have to be ready to do even more than your part if other guys are out."
WAC MEN'S BASKETBALL
Who: Hawai'i (9-2 overall, 1-2 WAC) vs. SMU (7-5, 2-2)
Where: Stan Sheriff Center
When: Today, 7:05 p.m.
Tickets: $17 for lower level seats, $13 for upper level adult seats, $5 for upper level student seats, $3 for upper level UH student seats, $5 for Super Rooter and Manoa Maniacs seats. Parking is $3.
Promotion: "Welcome Back Students Night" — UH students get in free with valid identification. The free tickets are limited and will be distributed at 6 p.m. at Gate A.
TV/Radio: Live on KFVE (Ch. 5) and KKEA (1420 AM)
Starting forward "Big Matt" Gipson, reserve center Milos Zivanovic and walk-on Seth Caine were the sick players who skipped practice yesterday. Wallace coached the team, but from a seat on the side of the court.
The most significant illness is Gipson, who was expected to start if healthy.
Blackett will probably start at power forward, and Wallace said he hopes Gipson will be available in a reserve role, at least.
"He's a tough kid, so we'll see how he feels (today)," Wallace said of Gipson.
Sensley said he is "85 to 90 percent" and dropped five pounds during his two-day battle with the flu-like symptoms. He is expected to start tonight.
"I was only out two days, so it's not like I lost all my conditioning," Sensley said. "I'm just glad I was able to come back and get in one day of practice."
The Mustangs are not exactly a healthy team, either.
Star point guard Bryan Hopkins sat out of his second consecutive practice last night with an injury to his right (shooting) wrist. He is expected to start tonight.
Starting shooting guard Derrick Roberts did not even make the trip to Honolulu because of a knee injury.
"We're 7-5 but we're hard to gauge," first-year SMU head coach Jimmy Tubbs said. "I'd like to see a more consistent effort."
The Mustangs were often tabbed as underachievers in recent years, but Tubbs has invigorated the players with an up-tempo attack that is averaging 71.4 points per game.
"It's a whole different mindset," Tubbs said of the difference between this year's Mustangs and last year's group under former head coach Mike Dement.
Starting center Eric Castro said: "We had to deal with some injuries this year, but I would say we're still a better team now than we were last year."
Hopkins has received most of the attention. He is averaging 17.5 points and 4.8 assists per game, and leads the WAC with 37 3-pointers and 23 steals.
But as Sensley noted: "It's not like you have to just shut down one guy on that team. They have three or four others who are really good."
Among them is Castro, who is contributing 14.4 points and 7.1 rebounds per game, and leads the WAC with a 64 percent field-goal percentage.
"He's a real bull," Wallace said of the 6-foot-8, 250-pound Castro. "He posts up strong, so our guys are going to have to play strong against him."
Castro and 6-9 forward Patrick Simpson are both seniors; they have been starting at SMU since they were freshmen.
"It'll be a little strange to play Hawai'i and not go against (Haim) Shimonovich and (Phil) Martin," Castro said. "But they brought in a whole new roster of big guys so we'll have to play our game and execute."
Simpson is averaging 13.3 points and 7.0 rebounds per game, making SMU the only team with three players among the top 15 individual scoring leaders in the WAC.
Another returning starter from last season is 6-5 Justin Isham, who has tremendous leaping ability and is contributing 9.3 points and 3.6 rebounds per game.
Hawai'i associate coach Bob Nash, who is in charge of scouting opponents, said: "Their first six guys are as talented as any team in the conference."
The Mustangs utilize their skills by mixing their defensive looks throughout games. Wallace said he expects to see SMU employ "everything from a full-court trap, to half-court zones, and some man-to-man."
Even before his big men started getting sick this week, Wallace said the play of Hawai'i's guards would be crucial.
"We'll need to take care of the ball and execute our offense," he said. "(SMU) will try to force you into making mistakes, but we can't fall into that."
Hawai'i point guard Deonte Tatum said: "This game could give us more chances to run up and down, so that could be fun. But we still have to set the tone and not let them dictate it."
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