Warriors race past Nicholls, 99-74
Stefan Jankovic scored 22 points and grabbed eight rebounds and Aaron Valdes added 20 points and three boards tonight as Hawai’i raced past visiting Nicholls, 99-74, in non-conference men’s basketball action.
A spirited “Star Wars Night” crowd of 4,388 at the Stan Sheriff Center watched Stefan Jovanovic add 13 points, Roderick Bobbitt contribute 11 points, 10 assists and seven rebounds and Mike Thomas add 11 points and seven boards as the Rainbow Warriors remained unbeaten at 4-0. The Colonels, from Thibodaux, La., fell to 1-2.
UH jumped out to a 7-0 lead and never really looked back, quickly stretching it to 15-6, 25-12 and then 31-14 after a layup by Jankovic with 8:22 remainng in the first half. Quincy Smith’s steal and layup made it 38-16 with 5:19 left, and the Rainbow Warriors took a commanding 54-28 lead into halftime on Thomas’ 3-pointer from the left corner just 2.8 seconds before halftime.
They led by as much as 28 points midway through the second half and Nicholls could not get closer than 22 points the rest of the way.
Hawai’i shot a blistering 69.7 percent (23 of 33) from the field in the first 20 minutes, including four of eight 3-point attempts. Jankovic had 14 points and five rebounds by halftime, and Valdes tallied 11 points before the break.
Defensively, the Rainbow Warriors limited Nicholls to 34.5 percent field goal shooting (10 of 29) in the first half and out-rebounded the Colonels, 18-9, on the defensive glass.
More details, including video highlights and interviews, will be posted later.
Love the defense, it is still there, instilled from that man from North Carolina, BT..they kept it going. Eran is smart enough to know, BT had great athletes who can turn teams over.
Downside, UH has not faced similar or superior talented teams yet. That is why this Texas Tech game, only Road game pre BWC that Eran has scheduled. What is up with that schedule? It is similar to past coaches., load up, build up wins and confidence. When Nevada was making run at UH, that athletic scorer, just went through them like butter. Same with the 2 scorers from Nicholls, those two combined for 50 pts.. quite a show.
Eran wants us to recognize past in MBB? well I recognize, and KelleyO too, what the past 2 coaches did, bring in some great athletes. Now we see a mature, confident team. That can win a lot of games at SSC , at home. On the road in BWC? Similar talent. it will be 50/50…
If UH is 13-0 going into BWC regular season play.. they will probably be top 30 or better team.
Undefeated, one of a few dozen teams that are? against teams not that great at home. .. so good to have that 4-0 record, however they real season, the dream season, and the ultimate goals? BWC regular and BWC tournament championships.. Then this team will finish what
Gib and Benjy started. Bringing some great athletes to play for the University of Hawaii.
Eran Ganot is a very, very fortunate young man. Even Riley Wallace first year, his team battled, undermanned, however they finshed with only 4 wins that first year. Eran can finish with 24 wins at least.. IF they get better now.. that road game at Lubboch , Texas? HUGE.. then we will see. they win that game, and the DHC. . The guys will be ready to capture a championship in BWC for sure.
Go Bows !
KelleyO, yes, once again, you go girl ! carry the mantle, .. Go Bows. .and recognize who made the bed that new coach and team is sleeping in? you got it, the Haka 2 !I get moderated? don’t care anymore.. just want team to go ncaa dance !!
Disappointment? The in house turnstile attendance, lot of students on theme night, however team so exciting AT HOME … so far.. they deserve 7000 every night !
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yeah !
More than Bobbit has to hit near 80 percent from FT line. critical to UH doing well, really well and going dancing.. . yeah !
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I am looking forward to, oh, oh.. well you know what. should be interesting. Go Bows !!
GOOD, SMART Intentional Challenges Coming Up
RE: Call the Coach With EGanot Tuesday Night…11/24
Pagoda/LaSalle OR AM1420 @ 6pm
would like Coach’s insight on What Nevada Coach was so ticked about…[Isaac?]
Texas Tech and Legendary Coach Tubby Smith: Good Road Test While Classes are OUT of Session
(Versus Previously Scheduled FIVE Game Road Trip)
May be …that the MAUI-Florida Trip Won Us Three Games Last Year But Lost us Negus…
By Diamond Head Tourney Conclusion, We Should have a Gauge of How High This Team Might Fly this year
KelleyO –UHF – i SEE Truth
(Also agree with Dayton & Co. that we Do Not Need to Re-Print / RE-Peat Points Daily or Several Times Daily)
BUT At Least The THREE of US Are NOWHERE Near the Same Person (As MANY Can Tell)
MOSTLY By Reading and Thinking — NOT Many Similarities in Content, Style, Prose, etc….
Also NOT Surprised WE Did Not See Any Need to Address POOR Observation(s)…
BTW FWIW — Tonight’s Win (Probably Due to Margin of Victory)
Was the First of This Season that Pushed UH Higher in the Ratings…Back in The Top 100…
I Liked the Quickness and Aggressiveness displayed by M.Thomas, Jankovic, Quincy and Aaron Valdes — probably a Key Factor in their Good Offensive Output — But i also thought was either a manifestation of their matchup Physical and/or Athletic Superiority and/or A Strong Challenge by the Coach (If So, Good, because i considered their offensive passiveness — as opposed to their ability to be defensively disruptive, even intimidating — to be their other achilles heel along with (poor, sub-standard) free-throw shooting.
GO ‘BOWS!