The women’s basketball team of the University of Hawai’i demonstrated their signature defensive strength and executed a thrilling fourth-quarter comeback to secure a 64-52 victory over UC San Diego at the SimpliFI Arena at Stan Sheriff Center. This triumph concluded a successful Big West homestand for the Rainbow Wahine (9-7, 6-1), propelling them to the top position in the Big West standings following UC Santa Barbara’s defeat earlier in the day.
Despite a hard-earned win, UH maintained their lead from start to finish. The team delivered an outstanding defensive performance, holding UC San Diego to just five points in the first quarter and preventing them from making a field goal in the final six minutes of the game. The largest home crowd of the season witnessed the Rainbow Wahine’s determined effort to fend off a late Triton comeback.
Led by Lily Wahinekapu’s impressive 16-point performance, including seven critical points in a game-sealing 10-0 run, and Daejah Phillips’ contribution of 15 points, the Rainbow Wahine secured their second consecutive victory over UC San Diego, marking a significant turnaround from their initial three losses in Big West competition.
The Rainbow Wahine’s strong defensive play was evident as they limited UC San Diego to only five points on 2-for-10 shooting and forced seven turnovers in the first quarter. Wahinekapu led the UH offense with two early drives, while Phillips and freshman Jade Peacock’s 3-pointers contributed to a 14-5 lead after the first 10 minutes.
Furthermore, UH’s excellent ball movement resulted in six assists on nine field goals in the first half, with five players making meaningful contributions. As a result, UH took a commanding 31-19 lead into halftime, having forced UCSD into more turnovers (9) than field goals made (8) in the first half.
Although UC San Diego launched a 9-0 run early in the third quarter to narrow the gap to 33-28, the Rainbow Wahine responded with an 8-0 surge, with Phillips orchestrating the offense and extending the lead to 41-28. Despite UCSD’s subsequent 9-2 run, UH guard Ashley Thoms’ 3-pointer secured a 47-38 lead heading into the fourth quarter.
At the start of the fourth quarter, UH held a 12-point lead following Olivia Davies’ successful three-point shot. However, the team then experienced a scoring drought, allowing UCSD to make a comeback, closing the gap to 53-50. Nonetheless, Wahinekapu and Phillips rose to the occasion, fueling a decisive 11-2 run to seal the victory.
In a significant improvement from their previous game, where they committed 23 turnovers, the Rainbow Wahine displayed better ball control, turning the ball over a season-low of eight times in their win against UC San Diego.
Looking ahead, the Rainbow Wahine are set to face UC Santa Barbara on January 25 and Cal Poly on January 27 in a bid to maintain their lead in the Big West Conference. As the team continues to demonstrate their competitive prowess, their path to securing the top spot in the standings looks promising.
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