Despite loss, Rainbows stay in Top 25 After falling to San Diego State, UH is ranked 24th in both polls
By Cindy Luis
Star-BulletinWho knew that vertigo could be contagious? The dizziness that coach Riley Wallace experienced last week seemingly was transferred to his University of Hawaii basketball team. The Rainbows, lightheaded after their first national ranking in 24 years, went into a tailspin at San Diego State on Saturday and lost, 81-72.
After becoming eager poll watchers last week, the Rainbows were dreading the latest voting. But Hawaii (11-2) remained in the Top 25 in the major polls, dropping to 24th in both - from No. 21 in The Associated Press poll and 23rd in the USA Today/ESPN Coaches poll - after losing its Western Athletic Conference season opener.
In yesterday's Rating Percentage Index, Hawaii fell from 12th to 18th. New Mexico, upset at Wyoming on Saturday, dropped a spot from 24th to 25th.
"The rankings don't matter right now as long as we're up there at the end of the season," said Rainbow senior guard Anthony Carter, figuring UH would drop out of the Top 25. "Now we just have to get back to work, and work hard, play hard and beat the teams like we've been beating them.
"It was difficult (Saturday) because San Diego State shut down our fast break. A big part of it was not getting the rebounds. There was a lot of frustration out there."
Hawaii next will host Southern Methodist on Saturday and Texas Christian a week from today. The Rainbows expect to have the services of senior forward Micah Kroeger, who was ejected from Saturday's game after a shoving incident with the Aztecs' Kevin Betts.
According to the NCAA, a player ejected for fighting will be suspended for the next game. But WAC Commissioner Karl Benson said last night that he didn't expect further sanctions against Kroeger.
"He was ejected for a flagrant foul," said Benson, who is attending the NCAA Convention in Atlanta. "We'll review the tapes tomorrow, but I don't think there will be anything further on the matter."
The incident occurred with 4:30 remaining and the Rainbows trailing, 67-59. It resulted in technical fouls on Carter and Kroeger, with Kroeger being ejected, and San Diego State getting six free throws that put the game out of reach.
Carter fouled Aztec guard Jason Richey on the drive, but when Richey continued to go to the basket to get off a shot, Carter tried to block the ball from behind.
Richey hit the floor hard and Betts shoved Carter. As officials began to restore order, Kroeger pushed Betts away from Carter. The Aztecs were not penalized.
"When I looked at the tapes, I think the only thing the officials did wrong was not give a technical to the San Diego State kid (Betts)," Wallace said.
"I thought that was unfair because Betts came after me first and he didn't get a technical," Carter said. "The reason I tried to block Richey's shot was I thought he was trying to get the continuation basket. I tried to get the ball out of his hand. He went to the floor hard and they called it a flagrant foul.
"I didn't understand. Betts pushed me, Micah pushed Betts. They gave Micah a technical and threw him out of the game and did nothing to San Diego State."
"I hope that the punishment won't carry over to another game," said Kroeger, who went into the Aztec locker room after the game to apologize. "I want to be on the court to help the team.
"The bottom line is we didn't play well and that led to the frustration. We didn't play with the intensity we needed to win. We were pumped and ready to play, but when the game started, it wasn't there. But it's a 14-game season so it's not over."
Wallace was disappointed in the lack of offense from post players Eric Ambrozich (six points), Erin Galloway (seven points), and especially Mike Robinson. Robinson again got into early foul trouble and went scoreless for the second time in three games.
"We have got to get Galloway and Robinson more involved offensively," Wallace said. "And get Robinson concentrating on staying in the game. Eric got banged around, but he'll be back after having a very un-Eric-like night with six points and five rebounds in 39 minutes.
"No question the guys panicked through frustration. No. 1, San Diego State took away our transition. We were not getting scoring off our half-court game. We didn't get to the foul line like we need to do. The officials were calling it pretty loose and our guys were frustrated when they didn't get the calls they're used to getting. We basically collapsed on both ends of the court. We have no excuses."
Wallace said his coaching staff underestimated Aztec center Roy Kruiswyk. The 6-foot-8, 230-pound senior had a career night with 17 points and 15 rebounds, double his averages.
"We've known we were an undersized team on the interior and we've used quickness to make up for lack of size," Wallace said. "It's the first time all season that it (being undersized) showed.
"No one can take away the quality wins we have had, and as long as we fight back, we'll still be playing (after the WAC Tournament)."
Senior guard Alika Smith led Hawaii with 23 points and Carter added 18 points and seven assists. Smith became Hawaii's all-time leader in 3-point field goals, surpassing Trevor Ruffin (122) with his third trey against the Aztecs.
It was the fourth consecutive year Hawaii lost its WAC road opener. The Rainbows are 2-9 under Wallace in their opening league road games and 4-15 since joining the WAC.
AP Men's Top 25
First-place votes in parenthesesOthers receiving votes: Miami 95, Cincinnati 79, Maryland 52, Clemson 46, Illinois 29, Ball St. 27, Colorado St. 26, Georgia Tech 23, Texas Christian 19, Wyoming 13, Tennessee 12, Indiana 11, George Washington 10, Michigan St. 7, Vanderbilt 7, Mississippi St. 6, Southern Miss. 5, Temple 5, Massachusetts 4, Washington 4, Illinois St. 3, Ill.-Chicago 2, Oklahoma 2, Ala.-Birmingham 1, Arizona St. 1, Gonzaga 1.
Record Pts Pvs
1. North Carolina (68) 17-0 1,748 1
2. Duke (2) 14-1 1,676 2
3. Kansas 19-2 1,527 4
4. Utah 13-0 1,512 3
5. Arizona 13-3 1,431 5
6. Kentucky 14-2 1,401 6
7. Stanford 14-0 1,394 7
8. UCLA 12-2 1,185 10
9. Purdue 14-3 1,152 9
10. Connecticut 14-2 1,074 8
11. Mississippi 12-1 1,066 14
12. Princeton 13-1 899 15
13. Iowa 13-2 812 11
14. South Carolina 10-2 747 16
15. New Mexico 11-2 718 12
tie Syracuse 14-1 718 18
17. Florida St. 12-4 573 13
18. Xavier 10-3 541 19
19. Michigan 13-4 472 17
20. Rhode Island 10-2 431 23
21. West Virginia 14-2 423 25
22. Arkansas 13-2 411 22
23. Marquette 10-2 133 20
24. Hawaii 11-2 115 21
25. Oklahoma St. 12-1 101 -
USAToday/ESPN Men's Top 25
First-place votes in parenthesesOthers receiving votes: Miami 41, Oklahoma State 38, Maryland 19, Illinois 15, Ball St. 8, Cincinnati 7, FresnoState 7, Texas Christian 6, Dayton 4, Michigan State 4, Murray State 4, Utah State 4, Colorado St. 3, George Washington 3, Iona 3, Southern Methodist 3, Tennessee 3, Butler 2, Oklahoma 2, Santa Clara 2, Temple 2, Arkansas State 1, Georgia Tech 1, Gonzaga 1, Illinois State 1, Indiana 1, Mississippi State 1, Wyoming 1.
Record Pts Pvs
1. North Carolina (30) 17-0 750 1
2. Duke 14-1 718 2
3. Kansas 19-2 667 4
4. Utah 13-0 660 3
5. Arizona 13-3 622 5
6. Kentucky 14-2 593 6
7. Stanford 14-0 581 7
8. Purdue 14-3 520 9
8. UCLA 12-2 491 10
10. Connecticut 14-2 480 8
11. Mississippi 12-1 429 14
12. Princeton 13-1 387 15
13. New Mexico 11-2 369 12
14. Iowa 13-2 361 11
15. Syracuse 14-1 309 18
16. Florida St. 12-4 279 13
17. South Carolina 10-2 278 16
18. Michigan 13-4 249 17
19. Xavier 10-3 206 19
20. West Virginia 14-2 154 25
21. Marquette 10-2 135 20
22. Arkansas 13-2 111 22
23. Rhode Island 10-2 110 23
24. Hawaii 11-2 52 21
24. Clemson 10-5 52 -
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