By WES NAKAMA ADVERTISING By WES NAKAMA Stephens Media Hawaii HONOLULU — The University of Hawaii men’s basketball team opens its Big West Conference home schedule Saturday against Cal Riverside. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. at the Stan Sheriff
By WES NAKAMA
Stephens Media Hawaii
HONOLULU — The University of Hawaii men’s basketball team opens its Big West Conference home schedule Saturday against Cal Riverside.
Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. at the Stan Sheriff Center, and the game will be televised live statewide on OCSports.
The Rainbow Warriors are 11-5 after opening conference play with road losses at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and Cal State Northridge last week. Cal Riverside is 5-11, 0-2 entering today’s game at Cal Davis.
UH had won nine of its past 10 games before falling flat at Cal Poly SLO, 77-65. Starting point guard Keith Shamburger was held scoreless and starting swingman Brandon Spearman was held to five points on 2-for-7 shooting (1 for 5 from 3-point range).
On Saturday, Cal State Northridge went 28 of 31 from the free throw line (18-for-18 in the first half) and Shamburger struggled again (1 for 9 overall, 1 for 8 from 3-point range) as the Matadors held on 79-78. The Rainbow Warriors lost despite maintaining possession for the final 1 minute, 35 seconds. Christian Standhardinger missed the potential game-winner from the top of the key as time expired.
Cal Riverside is on a three-game losing streak and its only three victories in the past 12 games were against NCAA Division III member La Verne (92-77), Illinois-Chicago (57-56) and NAIA member Waldorf (85-43).
Standhardinger continues to lead Hawaii in scoring at 17.6 points per game, followed by Garrett Nevels (14.1), Isaac Fotu (13.6) and Spearman (10.8). Standhardinger also leads the team in rebounding (7.6 per game), with Fotu at 6.6 and Spearman at 4.5.
WAHINE HIT ROAD AGAIN: After a brief two-game homestand, the UH women’s basketball team will be back on the road for a 3 p.m. (HST) Saturday game at Cal Riverside.
The game will be streamed live on ESPN3.com
The Rainbow Wahine are 7-7 overall, 1-1 in the Big West after last Sunday’s 54-44 home victory over Cal State Northridge. Cal Riverside is 4-11 (0-2 Big West) and is mired in an eight-game losing streak.
Kamilah Jackson continues to lead Hawaii in scoring at 16.1 points per game and rebounds at 10.1. Ashleigh Karaitiana is averaging 10.8 ppg.
WARRIOR VOLLEYBALL OPENS MPSF PLAY: The UH men’s volleyball team begins its Mountain Pacific Sports Federation season with home matches against Long Beach State at 7 p.m. today and Friday at the Stan Sheriff Center.
Today’s match will be televised live statewide on OCSports.
The Rainbow Warriors are 2-1 and up three spots to No. 10 in the AVCA Coaches Poll after a strong showing in last week’s Outrigger Invitational. Hawaii swept then-No. 12 Ohio State, 25-22, 25-21, 25-21, and then-No. 11 Penn State, 20-25, 25-22, 26-24, 25-21 before falling to No. 6 UCLA, 25-19, 14-25, 25-19, 25-16.
Rainbow Warrior outside hitter Sinisa Zarkovic and middle blocker Nick West each was named to the all-tournament team.
WAHINE WATER POLO RANKED NO. 7: Hawaii is ranked No. 7 in the nation by the Collegiate Water Polo Association in its preseason women’s poll.
The Rainbow Wahine finished last season at No. 6 after winning the Big West regular season and tournament championships and advancing to the NCAA semifinals, where they lost to No. 1-ranked USC.
UH returns 11 players from a team that notched 22 victories, the most by a Rainbow Wahine squad since the 2001 group went 25-10. Among the returnees is redshirt freshman attacker Kiana Krzyska, a 2012 Kamehameha-Hawaii graduate from Kurtistown.
Hawaii begins its 2014 season on Jan. 30 at Santa Clara.
WOMEN’S TENNIS TOPS NEVADA: The Rainbow Wahine tennis team notched its first victory of 2014 by defeating Nevada at home, 5-2.
The doubles teams of Sarah Gealer/Paulina Petriskova and Rebecca Faltusz/Kelsey Daquio won 6-3 and 6-4, respectively, and Petriskova, Cindy Nguyen, Faltusz and Xenia Suworowa each notched singles victories.
Daquio began her college career at UH-Hilo, where she was named 2011 Pac West Conference Freshman of the Year and ITA Division II West Region Rookie of the Year.
UH plays host to San Jose State at 3 p.m. today.
