Location: Honolulu, Haw. | Founded: 1907 | Enrollment: 20,300 | Colors: Green, Black, Silver and White
Coach: Bob Nash | Home Court: Stan Sheriff Center | Capacity: 10,300 Record:
(10-19, 7-9
Western Athletic)
THE GOOD NEWS Sophomore forward Bill Amis was solid all season and his number increased as the year went on. Amis averaged 8.9 points and a team-high 5.1 rebounds per game during WAC play.
Freshman point guard Kareem Nitoto showed glimpses of being a team leader while filling in for Gibson late in the season. Against UC Riverside on Feb. 23, in his only start of the season, Nitoto scored a career-high 13 points in 29 minutes of play.
THE BAD NEWS The loss of seven seniors leaves the team looking for answers. A leader, both in terms of on-court production and emotional leadership, will have to emerge in the offseason.
The school announced in March the hiring of a new athletic director, Jim Donovan. One of his primary tasks will be solving the university's $4.9 million athletics deficit.
Nash, who has been with the program for nearly three decades, is in the first year of a three-year deal. It remains unclear how the financial problems of the athletics department could affect the basketball program.
KEY RETURNEES Forward Bill Amis is the only returning player who started more than once (he started 20 of the team's 30 games). He had a team-high 40 blocked shots and is the team's leading returner in virtually every statistical category, including scoring (8.5 points per game).
ROSTER REPORT
--Injuries forced Matt Gibson to start just 21 of Hawaii's 30 games and he still did it all. Gibson led the team in points scored, assists, steals as well as free throws made and attempted.
His 4.84 assists per game was third best in the WAC, his 1.88 steals per game led the league and his 17.0 points per game was sixth best in the WAC.
--Senior guard Bobby Nash gave his dad, coach Bob Nash, all he had, starting all 30 of the team's games and playing a team-high 35.5 minutes per game. His minutes played per game were fourth most in the WAC.
He was 12th in the league in scoring average (13.9), which was helped greatly by his pinpoint accuracy from the free throw line, where he shot 87.9 percent (second best in the WAC).
Copyright (C) 2008 The Sports Xchange. All Rights Reserved.
I have to say, going 8 - 4 in the conference would have been HUGE, but instead we drop to 7 - 5, which just isn't as pretty....it seemed like this game was ours going into the final couple of minutes, but we missed a few key ft's while Fresno St. started bombing unbelievably from downtown and we couldn't hold on...
I will be more than happy if we get 3 more conference wi
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Yet again, Idaho spoils our season...last year was spoiled because we were their only conference win. This year, we became their only road win...which one is worse??
I couldn't believe how well Idaho was shooting from beyond the arc...that seems to be the case with most teams that play us, they somehow go on hot streaks so it's either bad defense on our part or just pl
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(POLL)
We're getting into the home stretch. Who is going to win the tourny this year? I'm not asking who will win the regular season, but who will be going to the big dance?
I would have never imagined myself saying this at the start of the season, but we actually have a chance to win the conference. It's not going to be easy, but I can see us winning at Fresno St. this week, then we come home and should handle Idaho fairly easily. After that, we host Boise St., who are serious road warriors this year...but if we can keep the momentum going, I can s
(POLL)
Pending 3 more (probable) wins against CSU Baskersfield, Siena and San Jose St., you guys will be on the 4th 5 game win streak this year heading into Hawaii, where you've never won. You also have yet to get that 6th consecutive win this season.
So far, the only conference team to win in Hawaii is Nevada. The travel is tough and Hawaii always plays hard to defend thei
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