Rainbows won’t miss 3 suspended players

Steve Carp

Wednesday, Feb. 5, 1997 | 11:59 a.m.

HONOLULU -- Coach Riley Wallace isn't going to let the loss of three players slow Hawaii's chase for a WAC Pacific Division title and an NCAA postseason berth.

After all, he only needs five guys, and none of his top seven are among the missing.

The university Tuesday suspended junior guard Aaron Curry, junior forward Kelvin Anderson and freshman forward Quentin Gallon for violations of policy in the student-athlete handbook. The suspensions are expected to last 30 days pending an appeal by any of the trio.

"It won't affect anything," Wallace said of the momentum the Rainbows currently enjoy as winners of five of their last six. "The core of our team is still intact."

Of the three, only Curry was seeing significant minutes, averaging just over 13 but only 2.3 points a game. Gallon was averaging just over seven minutes and Anderson had appeared in 10 games, playing just 21 minutes.

For Curry, this wasn't his first off-the-court incident. Last fall, he was suspended for punching a Hawaii volleyball player in the face.

Big one

The start of the second half of the WAC season carries some high stakes for UNLV and Hawaii. The winner of Thursday's game gets a leg up on positioning for the conference tournament next month as well as solidifying its case for postseason consideration.

"It's huge," Wallace said. "We need to win at home and find a way to steal one on the road. If we do that, that's 12-4 and 20 wins you're looking at raising hell (with the NCAA) if you don't get in.

"But we can lose to Vegas and Fresno and we're in the NIT."

Hawaii has to go to Wyoming and Colorado State as well as New Mexico, three places the Rainbows have not fared well at in the past.

"It won't be easy," Wallace said. "That's why Thursday's so important. You can't drop any at home."

Hoop du jour

* NO MOPEDS: Don't look for Keon Clark, Tyrone Nesby or any of the other Rebels to be riding mopeds along the streets surrounding Waikiki this week. Bayno is keeping his guys on a short leash while they're here. "It's not hard to lose your focus there," he said of Honolulu. "Our kids will enjoy the sights of Hawaii from their hotel room." Bayno will try to treat this visit like any road trip. Which means everything is structured and planned for the players while they're here. Academic adviser Lori Friel is on the trip and there will be daily study hall sessions in addition to the usual practices, films sessions and team meetings which take place when the team is on the road.

* SECOND TIME AROUND: For the first time since 1981, UNLV and Hawaii will meet twice in the same season. That year, the teams split, each winning on its home court. The same was true in 1980. In 1979, UNLV swept both games from the Rainbows and in 1972, Hawaii swept the Rebels.

* CORKY'S FINE: G Corky Aus borne was moving fine at Tuesday's practice at the Special Events Arena and will be available Thursday. Ausborne sprained his left ankle midway through the first half last Saturday against Wyoming.