On to Louisiana Tech
What happened in Las Cruces stays in Las Cruces.
That’s the mentality the Hawai’i basketball team must take as it enters a Western Athletic Conference game at Louisiana Tech on Saturday afternoon. The game is scheduled for an early start (11 a.m. Hawaii time) at the Thomas Assembly Center in Ruston, Louisiana.
The Warriors suffered their worst loss in two years in a 115-73 defeat at New Mexico State on Thursday. They left Las Cruces, N.M., immediately after the game, spent the night in El Paso, Texas, and then arrived in Ruston on Friday afternoon.
Saturday’s game will be the final stop of a three-game road trip that will have covered more than 10,000 air miles by the time the Warriors return to Honolulu on Sunday.
Despite the lopsidedness of the loss at New Mexico State, the Warriors did not lose any ground in the WAC standings. Hawai’i is currently 15-12 overall and in fourth place in the WAC at 6-5.
LaTech is 14-14 overall and in sixth place at 4-7. The Bulldogs are coming off the positive side of their own rout – a 75-49 home win over San Jose State on Thursday.
Hawai’i has three games remaining in the WAC regular season. At stake is the seeding for the WAC Tournament. Second place might be out of reach for the Warriors after the loss at New Mexico State, but the Warriors still have a strong shot at third. They could also finish as low as sixth, depending on the various outcomes.
LaTech upset Hawai’i, 74-70, in Honolulu on January 19, although the Warriors played that game without starting guards Miah Ostrowski (staph infection) and Zane Johnson (flu). Both seniors are expected to play this time, although both have been struggling to score of late.
Johnson averaged 7.6 points per game over the last five games, and went 7 for 30 from 3-point range in that span. Ostrowski averaged 1.5 points per game over the last four games, although he got 7.3 assists per game over that span.
Junior center Vander Joaquim leads the Warriors in both scoring (14.6) and rebounding (9.7), but needs to bounce back from his least productive game of the season at New Mexico State (seven points, six rebounds).
Junior forward Joston Thomas is averaging 17.6 points and 6.5 rebounds per game in WAC games, including a 22-point performance in the loss to LaTech last month.
LaTech is led by Raheem Appleby, a 6-2 freshman who is averaging 14.2 points per game. He scored 28 in the win at Hawai’i.
The game will feature an intriguing match-up of streaks. The Bulldogs have won three in a row (all at home), but have not won four consecutive games at any point this season. The Warriors have lost their last two games, but have not lost three in a row at any point of this season.
HAWAI’I AT LOUISIANA TECH
When: Saturday, February 25, 11:05 a.m. (Hawai’i time)
Where: Thomas Assembly Center, Ruston, Louisiana
TV: Live on OCSports (channel 12 or 1012)
Radio: Live on ESPN 1420 AM
Internet: Live video streaming available at www.espn3.com
(WarriorInsider.com file photo courtesy Brandon Flores)
Go Warriors you can over come! The season is not finished.
There is a special fan at this game. Hauns little brother did everything he could to see University of Hawaii play and to see his brother. LB is so proud to tell all the doctors and nurses at St. Jude his brother plays for the University of Hawaii Basketball team. He just had a tumor removed. He couldn’t walk without a walker two weeks ago and he has a cane now.. He couldn’t wait to meet the coaches and the team. Show La.T. what ya’ll are made of. He worked hard to get to that game you all can pull this one off. Go Warriors!
Memphis,
Thank you for sharing this. Congratulations to Landon and hope he has an enjoyable trip.
Very inspiring!
Go warriors, this season is far from over.!!!
Go little Brereton, very brave little guy!!
Sending Prayers to Landon & Family for A Successful & Sustained Recovery!
I have a Sense of what that all feels like — my son overcame Leukemia….
Now …. (Back to Basketball) ….
Go Warriors ! Overcome LA TECH — WE Owe Them One !
ZANE and Miah — BUST OUT !
Show ‘Em What they Missed AND Break out of The Funk !
Slumps happen in All Sports, and Winners Break Out !
Break Out NOW (!) — Just in Time for The Stretch Run …
Now, When it Matters …
And All the Way through The Last Home Stand, WAC Tourney & Beyond !
Do Us All Proud (Again !) like you’ve done so many times before !
NOTE: LATech’s three game “Win Streak” was All Against Weak Teams …
UH’s recent Losses were Mostly against Very Good Teams …
Don’t Let LATech look like a Good Team … Disrupt and Dominate !
Com on Warriors get off your butts and win this game for brother Landon, win it and give him the game ball!! Give that kid something to cheer for along with rest of us in the 50th state!! Win this game or if not, stay in RUSTON ! Don’t come back ! You guys deserve Ruston if you lose.
Easy, jjay. That’s cruel and unusual punishment you’re talking about. No loss is deserving of that type of sentencing … (yes, I have been to Ruston).
Hi, Landon,
Thanks for your support!
We share your love for your brother.
Keep it up, you may play like him too, someday!
This years team is worst than Gib’s inaugural team last year. No real “go to guy”. Zane is erratic, no where in the league of Pedrag Savovic, Michael Kuebler, etc. They are a terrible comeback team. Joaquim has to play more aggressive smart basketball and not get in foul trouble. I would put Rozitis in as starter already. Get that height in there and Rozitis is not that bad a scorer. Having said that, I give the team A for effort and They are a great bunch of guys. Gib and his assistants have to recruit more quality players and Gib is a good recruiter and he will get his share. Boy is Bo Barnes missed. Rozitis is like Bill Amis, gets better and better each year and I think he will be a star by his senior year. If they lose at LaTech and be 15-13, no post season this year it looks like unless Riley Wallace can bail them out again. Gib is a good coach. I like him.
WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO THIS TEAM???