Hawaii Brings Down Curtain On Gu Veterans Play Key Role In 78-70 Nit Victory

Someday Gonzaga University’s young backcourt of Matt Santangelo and Richie Frahm might be as good as Hawaii’s veteran tandem of Anthony Carter and Alika Smith. But it’s not there yet.

Which is the main reason the Rainbows will play in the quarterfinals of the National Invitation Tournament, while the Bulldogs return to the mainland to lock up the basketballs until next season.

Carter, a 6-foot-2 senior, threw in a career-high 33 points and Smith, his 6-2 classmate, added 14 on combined 20-for-38 shooting Monday night as Hawaii ousted GU 78-70 in front of a sellout crowd of 10,225 at Sheriff Center.

The win lifted the Rainbows (21-8) into a quarterfinal-round matchup Thursday night at home against Fresno State, an 83-80 winner over Memphis. Gonzaga ended its first season under Dan Monson at 24-10.

Carter, who averaged 17 points and seven assists during the regular season, was as big a handful as the Bulldogs have run into.

He abused every defender Monson put on him, and when he wasn’t making some kind of circus shot, he was dumping the ball off to some lesser-known big men like Erin Galloway, whose 15 points were eight above his average.

“We’ve struggled all year against athletic teams,” Monson said. “But I still thought it was a tremendous season. This team accomplished all of its goals except winning the (West Coast) conference tournament.

“No first-year coach could have asked for a better group.”

Senior Bakari Hendrix led GU with 26 points and 13 rebounds, but Santangelo and Frahm, both sophomores, made only 9 of 27 field goals and combined for just 22 points.

Gonzaga, despite playing in another hostile environment, scrambled back from a 60-47 deficit midway through the second half to tie the game at 62. But Carter took over from there, scoring 11 in the final 4 minutes to snuff out the Bulldogs’ comeback bid.

Hawaii started strong and survived a 15-2 Gonzaga run to build a 42-35 halftime lead. Carter was the story from the opening tip, scoring 16 first-half points on an assortment of shots ranging from long-range jumpers to acrobatic layins on wild, uncontrolled drives.

GU got 12 first-half points and a knockout elbow from Hendrix, but let the Rainbows loose on 11-0 and 8-2 scoring runs that accounted for Hawaii’s halftime advantage.

“Things went right early,” Monson said. “But then when we hit some adversity, we didn’t go back to getting great shots and settled for good shots. Our bad offense let them get their break going.”

Play was intense and extremely physical throughout, but Hendrix provided the biggest blow when he nailed Rainbow Eric Ambrozich with a clear-out elbow after grabbing a rebound 10 minutes into the game. Ambrozich, a 6-8 senior, was taken out and treated for a broken nose. He did not return.

, DataTimes