The Hawai’i men’s basketball team begins Western Athletic Conference play this week against rival Fresno State, tonight. Tip-off is set for 7:00 p.m. PST at the Save Mart Center in Fresno, Calif. The Rainbow Warriors are a perfect 8-0 this
The Hawai’i men’s basketball team begins Western Athletic Conference play this week against rival Fresno State, tonight.
Tip-off is set for 7:00 p.m. PST at the Save Mart Center in Fresno, Calif.
The Rainbow Warriors are a perfect 8-0 this season and are coming off their fourth consecutive Outrigger Hotels Rainbow Classic championship. UH defeated USC, 72-68 in the championship game to win its 10th overall championship.
Fresno State is 6-3 but has lost three straight, most recently a 73-62 setback at San Francisco, Dec. 23. The Bulldogs are 4-2 at home this season including consecutive losses to Oregon (83-82) and Pacific (88-77).
The ‘Bows and Bulldogs have played two common opponents this season; Mississippi Valley State and USC. UH defeated MVSU (71-58) in the season-opener, while Fresno State beat MVSU (80-65) and at USC (71-68).
Fresno State leads the all-time series 19-9 and has won the last three meetings. UH has won just two of 12 games in Fresno, Calif. (1998 & 2002) against the Bulldogs.
UH is one of 13 remaining undefeated teams in the country…this year marks the first season Hawai`i has entered WAC play undefeated…UH will be making its first regionally televised game of the season…UH is 12-13 in WAC openers…UH’s eight-game win streak is tied for the fifth longest in school history (against collegiate opponents).
Television: KFVE-TV (Ch. 5 – The Home Team) as part of Sportswest’s telecast. Eddie Doucette (play-by-play), Dave Bollwinkle (color), LIVE.
Radio: Sports Radio KKEA 1420 AM. Bobby Curran (play-by-play), LIVE. Webcast link on HawaiiAthletics.com
Coaches: UH head coach Riley Wallace is in his 18th season (291-228). FS head coach Ray Lopes is in his third season (40-26).
Series: FS leads 19-9. Last meeting: FS won 69-60, March 6, 2004 in Fresno, Calif. This Week’s Opponent: Fresno State Newcomer Ja’Vance Coleman leads the team in scoring (19.6) and has averaged more than three 3-pointers per game. In the team’s loss to USF on Thursday, Coleman scored 27 points, grabbed nine rebounds, and finished 5-of-10 from long range. Center Mustafa Al-Sayyad is the team’s top rebounder (8.2) while also averaging 12.0 ppg. He also tops the WAC averaging 2.11 blocks per game. As a team, the Bulldogs are averaging 75.6 ppg while shooting 45.1 percent from the field. Fresno State has a tendency to turn the ball over and is averaging 16.7 per game. Against the Dons, Coleman had nine of the team’s 23 turnovers. Forward Dreike Bouldin returned to the lineup against Pacific and started the San Francisco game. Bouldin missed the team’s first seven games due to academics. He scored 16 points against the Tigers and three vs. the Dons. Head coach Ray Lopes is in his third season at Fresno State.
