Season In Review
The 2006-07 season marked the final year for long-time University of Hawai'i head coach Riley Wallace. The team had visions of returning to the postseason, something that was missing the past two seasons. But that goal came short after the Rainbow Warriors were eliminated in the quarterfinals of the Western Athletic Conference Tournament, capping an 18-13 season.
The end of the Wallace era, which spanned 20 years, proved frustrating at times while also providing memorable wins. The 'Bows finished with a 6-8 record against teams that made the postseason NCAA Tournament and NIT, including victories over NCAA-bound teams Creighton and Long Beach State. But agonizingly close losses to WAC champion Nevada, twice, and WAC Tournament champion, New Mexico State, twice, ultimately doomed the 'Bows.
What could have easily been a 20-win season was naught as UH suffered five conference losses in games decided on the final possession. The 'Bows were on the wrong side of a buzzer beater by Idaho, which proved to be the Vandals only league win of the season. The tell tale sign of an unlucky season was the team's average margin of defeat (4.1) in league games compared to its nearly 16 point per game margin of victory in its eight wins. All year, the 2006-07 edition had trouble in close games, sporting a 1-7 record in games decided by three points or less.
Despite the "what could have beens," the season capped a memorable career for Wallace, who ended his run as the school's winningest coach with 334 victories. He was instrumental in returning the program back to its once-glory years of the early 1970s, when those teams made three postseason appearances in four years. In 20 years, his teams advanced to postseason play nine times, were WAC Tournament champions three times, and posted winning seasons 16 times. That type of consistency never existed in the program's history prior to his arrival in 1987.
This year's 'Bows had the make-up of a team that could succeed come tournament time. UH was successful in a pair of eight-team early season tournaments, winning two of three games at the Great Alaska Shootout during Thanksgiving weekend and sweeping all three games in the pre-Christmas Outrigger Hotels Rainbow Classic. A 76-60 championship game win over Creighton gave the 'Bows their 11th Rainbow Classic title and also showcased the scoring ability of senior Matt Lojeski, who finished with 33 points on a nearly unstoppable 12-of-15 shooting.
But the team's misfortune started early in WAC play with five losses in its first six contests, three of which were decided on the game's final possession. UH rebounded with three straight wins and nearly pulled off a fourth if not for a late controversial overturn of a call by the officials in a 69-68 loss at nationally ranked Nevada. That was a start of a slide in which the 'Bows lost three of four.
However, UH overcame that adversity winning four straight to close out the regular season. A 93-78 victory over Big West Conference champion Long Beach State on the 49ers' homecourt ignited the streak and propelled the 'Bows into the WAC Tournament as the No. 5 seed.
That momentum ended by the hands of Utah State, coached by Wallace's good friend Stew Morrill. The 'Bows had two chances to either take the lead or tie the game with three-point attempts in the game's final five seconds but both were off the mark and UH fell short, 73-70.
The team's lone seniors, Lojeski and Ahmet Gueye, provided the leadership throughout the course of the season. Lojeski, a second team all-WAC pick, led the team in scoring (16.9) and assists (4.5) and put an exclamation point on a stellar two-year career with a 35-point performance against Boise State on "Senior Night." In that game, Lojeski tied a school-record with a perfect 7-for-7 display from three-point range.
Gueye was named to the WAC's all-defensive team for the second consecutive year and finished his career among the school's leaders in rebounding average (8.1) and blocked shots (131). But more importantly Gueye was the cog that ran the engine and provided a dominant low post presence on both ends of the court. The Dakar, Senegal native, posted seven double-doubles, scored in double figures 18 times and had multiple blocked shot games 19 times.
The team's backcourt was bolstered with the return of Matt Gibson and Bobby Nash, both of whom redshirted last season. The duo started nearly every game and each averaged double figures in scoring. Gibson also averaged 3.4 assists, and 1.7 steals along with a 10.2 scoring average. Nash averaged 11.2 points and 4.0 rebounds. Dominic Waters, the reigning WAC's Freshman of the Year, served as Gibson's back-up at the point.
Newcomers P.J. Owsley and Riley Luettgerodt played key roles in their first year in the program. Owsley started the final 23 games in the post while Luettgerodt was one of the first players off the bench.
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