Friday, February 6, 1998
Lady Rebels
with a cause
Tomorrow's game against
By Al Chase
the Wahine is crucial to UNLV's
postseason hopes
Star-BulletinThe more victories the University of Hawaii women's basketball team registers, the more the Wahine have to adjust their goals. Winning the Western Athletic Conference Tournament and securing the automatic bid to the NCAA tournament remains the top priority.
Along the way, the Wahine have surpassed some lesser goals while compiling a 19-1 record and their current 15-game winning streak.
"One goal was to get in the Top 25," Hawaii head coach Vince Goo said. "We did that and had to reset to be a top-20 team. Now we're focusing on the top 15. When you accomplish something, you have to reset your goals. You can't be satisfied."
That sounds a lot like the time-tested adage for success -- good enough never is.
Goo said the Wahine don't enter a game thinking about rankings. Their ability to block out thoughts of a lofty national presence and concentrate might be tested against Nevada-Las Vegas tomorrow at 7 p.m. at the Stan Sheriff Center.
The crossover game doesn't count in the conference standings, but is meaningful for UH's national standing and seeding should it receive an invitation to the NCAA tournament.
The Lady Rebels (4-17 overall, 3-7 conference) have struggled this season, and head coach LaDonna McClain and two assistants abruptly resigned Monday.
Steve Corraro, the director of basketball operations, has taken over as interim coach.
He guided UNLV to a 70-62 victory over visiting Air Force on Wednesday night as the Lady Rebels kept their hopes alive for a WAC Tournament berth. UNLV is half a game behind Wyoming for the sixth and final qualifying spot in the Mountain Division.
The Lady Rebels are led by 5-foot-9 senior guard Taneisha Gossett, who is averaging 11.9 points per game. Angalete Dye, a 6-2 junior forward, is second in scoring (9.6 ppg) and first in rebounding (8.7 per game). She paced UNLV with 21 points Wednesday.
Goo will go with his same starting five -- guards Nani Cockett (19.8 ppg) and BJ Itoman (8.4), forwards Kylie Page (18.2) and Raylene Howard (16.4) and center Brandi Ashby (9.9).
Cockett tore ligaments in the little finger of her right hand in practice last Monday and played with the finger taped to the next one in the San Diego State game.
"It affected her shooting a bit," Goo said.
Cockett has practiced without the "buddy tape" this week and prefers to play that way, saying, "I'll just have to play through it and hope it doesn't get whacked."
STATISTICS UPDATE: Page is third in 3-point field-goal percentage (52.3) in the latest NCAA Division I statistics released Monday. She also is 35th in field goal percentage (57.7).
Cockett is 38th in scoring (19.8). The Wahine are 15th in points per game (80.5).
RATING PERCENTAGE INDEX: The latest Women's Basketball Coaches Association/Summerville RPI, released Tuesday, had Hawaii No. 11.
The RPI is a formula based on a team's winning percentage, strength of schedule and opponents' strength of schedule.
Hawaii to host NCAA?
UH might make a bid for the
By Al Chase
first and second round of
the women's tourney
Star-BulletinUniversity of Hawaii athletic department officials are strongly considering submitting a bid to host the first and second rounds of the 1998 NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament. The first two rounds would be played March 13-16 and involve four teams (single elimination). Sites and pairings will be announced March 8.
UH athletic director Hugh Yoshida, assistant athletic director for women Marilyn Moniz-Kaho'ohanohano and Wahine head coach Vince Goo met yesterday to discuss the possibility of a UH bid.
They agree the matter should be pursued. However, logistical considerations must be resolved before a bid is submitted. Also, the UH men's volleyball team is scheduled to play Rutgers-Newark the nights of March 13 and 14 at the Stan Sheriff Center.
Moniz-Kaho'ohanohano will contact men's volleyball coach Mike Wilton, who is in California, today to discuss ways to accommodate both events. Another factor is Rutgers-Newark's travel plans.
The NCAA decides which dates are used, although UH can submit its preference.
ESPN has the first right to televise the games. If the NCAA chose Hawaii as a site and ESPN exercised its right to broadcast the games, the network would have input on the dates.
Before a bid is submitted, Moniz-Kaho'ohanohano and Yoshida want the March 13-15 and March 14-16 date pairings open.
UH would have to post an $8,000 guarantee.
"We absolutely would like to do it," Goo said. "We're on the same page."
WAC women's basketball
Tomorrow: Nevada-Las Vegas at Hawaii, 7 p.m.
1997-98 Wahine Basketball Schedule
http://uhathletics.hawaii.edu
