Frogs ousted by Hawaii

Skiff Staff

Hawaii’s Predrag Savovic scored 24 points as the Rainbow Warriors’ men’s basketball team defeated TCU, 99-79, in the quarterfinals of the Western Athletic Conference Tournament Thursday.

“In fairness to TCU, it lost two players,” said Hawaii head coach Riley Wallace on KTCU 88.7-FM. Wallace was referring to the effects of TCU’s dismissal of seniors Myron Anthony and Greedy Daniels. “When that happens, the starters have to play longer.

They appeared to be sucking some air at the end.”

The Frogs (20-11) will have to hope that the National Invitation Tournament Selection Committee is as empathetic of their situation as Wallace. TCU head basketball coach Billy Tubbs said he wasn’t sure as to whether or not his squad would get into postseason play.

“It’s out of our hands now,” he said. “An NCAA bid is a long shot. I thought going into (the Hawaii) game we were in great shape to get into the NIT, but I have no idea what this game does to that.”

The fifth-seeded Rainbow Warriors (15-13) will play No. 25 Fresno State in the semifinals Friday. Fresno State beat Rice 60-52 Thursday.

Hawaii hit 6 of 9 three-point tries, taking a 13-point half-time lead. The Frogs, who shot just 44 percent compared with 60 percent for Hawaii, got no closer than 11 points in the second half.

Hawaii’s high percentage was due in part to crisp ball movement that resulted in a WAC Tournament-record 26 assists.

“(Hawaii) played to its capabilities,” Tubbs said. “We knew going in that Hawaii does the best job in the conference of running a half-court offense.”

Savovic, who shot 5-of-7 from 3-point range, and Hawaii’s Nerijus Puida each hit three pointers during a three-minute span in which Hawaii pushed its lead to 60-42.

TCU got within 15 points twice after that, the second time, 62-47, on a jumper by senior guard Thomas McTyer with 14:29 remaining. But Hawaii followed with a 14-1 run that included two three pointers by Savovic and one by Puida. TCU missed all six of its shots during that time and was limited to one shot on every possession.

Hawaii scored on 13 of 17 possessions in widening its second-half lead from 51-39 to 80-53.

Puida finished with 21 points, and Troy Ostler had 19 points and eight assists.

TCU got 26 points from sophomore forward Bingo Merriex, and senior guard Ryan Carroll, who became TCU’s all-time leading three-point shooter during the game, scored 14.

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