May. 25, 2006 - 2006-07 Men's Hoops Schedule Finalized
University of Hawai`i men's basketball head coach Riley Wallace announced the 2006-07 schedule, which includes participation in two of the longest running early season eight-team tournaments - the 29th Great Alaska Shootout and 43rd Outrigger Hotels Rainbow Classic, a pair of non-conference road games, and a home-and-home series with UNLV.
The 30-game regular season opens, Nov. 10, on the road against the Runnin' Rebels, marking the first time the Rainbow Warriors open away from home since 1993, UH's last appearance in the Great Alaska Shootout.
UH then hosts non-conference games against Coppin State, Nov. 13, and Oregon State, Nov. 19 before embarking on an 11-day road trip to Anchorage, Alaska, Nov. 22-25, and Santa Clara, Nov. 29. The bracket for the eight-team Shootout is not set as organizers are still finalizing the field. This year marks UH's third appearance in the Shootout (1989 and 1993). The game against Santa Clara is a return trip as SCU made the trip across the Pacific Ocean last February.
"We think we've put together a schedule worthy of creating a high RPI with hopes of getting back to the NCAA Tournament this year," Wallace said. "We have a very challenging preseason with non-conference road games at UNLV and Santa Clara and three games in Alaska. We'll also get exposure with possible national TV games in Alaska and the BracketBuster in February."
The 'Bows return to Honolulu for the rematch against UNLV, Dec. 5 and host Northwestern State, Dec. 16. The friendly UH-UNLV rivalry is in the second year of an in-season home-and-home series, which the teams split last season. The Demons were the Cinderella of the last year's NCAA Tournament after a dramatic first round upset of third-seeded Iowa. UH defeated NSU in the third-place game of last year's Outrigger Hotels Rainbow Classic.
For the 43rd consecutive year, Hawai`i serves as hosts of the Rainbow Classic, Dec. 20-23. Participating along with UH are Charlotte, Creighton, Houston, Nebraska, San Francisco, Valparaiso, and Wyoming. In a first round match-up, the 'Bows will open against USF, Dec. 20.
Besides Hawai'i, Houston and USF have captured Rainbow Classic titles. Houston, which is making its fourth appearance (1967, '76, '88), won the 1967 championship while USF, which is making its fifth showing (1969, '76, '81, '89), took the 1976 crown. Nebraska is also making its fourth appearance (1979, '92, '97) in the tournament. Creighton has made two previous appearances (1987, '89) while Charlotte participated once (1998). Wyoming and Valparaiso are first-time entrants.
UH hosts one more non-conference home game, Tennessee-Martin, Dec. 28, before opening Western Athletic Conference play on the road against New Mexico State, Jan. 4, and Louisiana Tech, Jan. 6.
Once again the WAC will send all nine teams to participate in ESPN's BracketBuster Saturday event, Feb. 17. Also this year, the WAC Tournament shifts from Reno, Nev., to Las Cruces, N.M.., March 6-10.
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