LAHAINA » Welcome to Maui, Wake Forest. And welcome back to you, Danny Manning.
The Demon Deacons announced their presence loudly in their Valley Isle debut Monday, channeling the play of their college legend of a head coach in a rousing 82-78 upset of No. 13 Indiana in the first round of the Maui Jim Maui Invitational.
MAUI JIM MAUI INVITATIONAL DAY 2
Today at Lahaina Civic Center
» Consolation semifinals: St. John’s (3-1) vs. No. 13 Indiana (3-1), 9 a.m.; Chaminade (0-3) vs. UNLV (3-1), 11:30 a.m. (ESPN2)
» Semifinals: No. 19 Vanderbilt (4-0) vs. Wake Forest (3-1), 2:30 p.m.; No. 5 Kansas (2-1) vs. UCLA (3-1), 5 p.m. (ESPN)
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Freshman guard Bryant Crawford had the last two baskets of the game on drives, first to go ahead by a point with 24 seconds left, then the game-winner with 3.2 to go, silencing the very packed, pro-Hoosier crowd at the 2,400-seat Lahaina Civic Center. But it was a physically dominant effort that carried Wake, evoking Manning, the former Kansas All-American who is trying to remake a struggling program.
Its mantra? Manning up.
“For us, we want to come out and we want to work hard,” said Manning, a top-10 all-time scorer in NCAA history at nearly 3,000 points to go with 1,000-plus rebounds. “This is the second year that we’ve been together as a group, and we want to continue to build and try to get better with each practice and each game.”
Manning was with Kansas — incidentally, also in this year’s field — when the Jayhawks came to Maui in the 1987-88 season. Kansas finished fourth in the event that year, but wound up winning it all in March behind their star big man.
It is usually Duke, North Carolina or another traditional power representing the Atlantic Coast Conference here. The 32nd Maui Invitational was the first time Wake — the alma mater of Tim Duncan and Chris Paul — accepted an invitation, and that was even before Manning took the job coming over from Tulsa.
Not too many people expected much from Wake (3-1) in a field that includes the Hoosiers (3-1), No. 5 Kansas and No. 19 Vanderbilt. Yet, the team that went 13-19 last season and was predicted to finish 11th in the ACC this year will get another chance to prove itself. The Deacons and Commodores of the SEC meet in today’s first semifinal at 2:30 p.m.
Manning could face his alma mater in either the championship or third-place game Wednesday, depending on today’s nightcap outcome of No. 5 Kansas and UCLA. His son, Evan, is a reserve with the Jayhawks.
The Deacons were demons on the glass (43-30) against Indiana, as they have been in every game so far this season. They are plus-16.2 in rebounding margin overall.
“We stress that a lot in our philosophy and Coach’s philosophy, trying to win the rebound war,” said forward Devin Thomas, who had 21 points and eight rebounds. “Trying to win the fast break, second chance, a lot of those little details. Dinos (Mitoglou) does a great job rebounding. J.C. (John Collins) does a great job rebounding. I think our guards do a great job rebounding, and it’s a team effort, and I think that’s why we’re so successful at rebounding.”
Wake Forest more than doubled up the Hoosiers on the glass in the first half, which seemed to set Tom Crean’s team aback, as the Deacons led 50-45 at the break. Indiana rallied to go up nine with 7:34 to play but struggled in execution late and will face St. John’s (3-1) in a 9 a.m. consolation semifinal.
“We knew they were going to be a physical team and it was going to be a test of our physicality as well,” IU forward Max Bielfeldt said. “Just a lot of those rebounds kind of came off short and they used their physicality to push us under the basket. And we’ve got to adjust to that and get better and not let that happen again.”
Manning, a 15-year NBA player and two-time All-Star, was satisfied with the day’s effort, but is far from calling it a successful trip.
“There’s not a lot of time for celebrating, to be honest with you,” he said. “We told the guys, great win, way to fight, way to grind it out, way enjoy it, for the short ride to the hotel. Once we hit the hotel property, we’ve got to start thinking about tomorrow.”
No. 19 Vanderbilt 92, St. John’s 55
Jeff Roberson had 11 points and 13 rebounds for the Commodores, who opened the game with a 27-4 run en route to a victory over the Red Storm in the opening round of the Maui Invitational.
Vanderbilt (4-0) will meet Wake Forest in the semifinals today.
The Commodores scored the game’s first nine points and it only got worse from there for the Red Storm (3-1), who lost for the first time under first-year coach Chris Mullin and nearly suffered the worst loss in school history.
UCLA 77, UNLV 75
LAHAINA » Bryce Alford and Thomas Welsh scored 20 points each, and the Bruins went 10-for-10 from the free-throw line over the final 90 seconds in a victory over the Runnin’ Rebels in the opening round of the Maui Jim Maui Invitational.
Aaron Holiday made eight of the free throws and Welsh added two for the Bruins (2-1), who play No. 5 Kansas, a 123-72 winner over Chaminade, in the semifinals today.
UCLA took the lead for good on a 3-pointer by Isaac Hamilton that made it 67-65 with 3:21 to play. The Bruins then went to work at the free-throw line led by Holiday, who finished with 18 points.
Associated Press contributed to this report.
