The Wahine won their sixth consecutive game last night as they methodically dismantled Middle Tennessee State, 82-63, in the final game of the Ala Moana Hotel Paradise Classic.

UH improved to 7-3 and will rest up before going into its first-ever Western Athletic Conference game, at Fresno State Jan 2. Middle Tennessee State dropped to 2-7.

The Wahine dogged the Lady Raiders with 18 steals and also dominated the boards and passing lanes.

"They do a really good job with that zone," Middle Tennessee State coach Lewis Bivens said. "Not too many teams play that (type of) defense. We'll probably see it only one more time this season. That makes it all the more effective."

In theory, the matchup zone works because it combines the discipline and responsibility of a straight zone with the aggressiveness of man-to-man. In practice, it only works when all five players are in synch, creating chaos while working as one.

That was the case last night as Hawaii's tenacity led steals, rushed shots and a totally disrupted offense for Middle Tennessee State.

Nani Cockett and Destree Wautlet each blocked four shots.

"When we pressure the ball and have people like Nani with good hands and long arms on defense, things happen for us," Hawaii coach Vince Goo said.

Jonelda Buck was the only Lady Raider who could solve the Wahine defense in the early going. She scored her team's first 10 points and ended up with 18.

But Cockett - who finished with 17 points and all-tournament MVP honors - scored half of the points as Hawaii jumped out to a 16-6 lead in the first 5:48.

Kendis Leeburg was hot early, too. UH's 6-3 senior center had 10 of her game-high 24 points in the first 9:36 as the Wahine bolted to a 24-11 lead.

Leeburg and Brandi Ashby led the attack on the boards. Hawaii's 18-12 margin on offensive rebounding was heartening for a team that had forgotten how to box out and didn't seem to know how to attack the opponent's glass just a couple weeks ago.

"It's totally (opposite)," Leeburg said. "Before, it was like we were expecting the ball to drop into our hands - on offense and defense. Now we're moving our feet and getting into position."

Leeburg and Hawaii point guard BJ Itoman joined Cockett on the all-tournament team, along with Talisha Hargis and Maria Tchobanova of West Virginia and Kesha Bonds of Missouri.

West Virginia 85, Missouri 75: Hargis scored 25 points and Tchobanova added 18 to lead the Mountaineers (8-3). Julie Helm paced the Tigers (6-6) with 21, while Lindsay Thornton tossed in 12 and Bonds added 11.

West Virginia won despite being outrebounded 44-to-25. The rebounding margin was offset by the Mountaineers making 30 of 36 free throws compared to 8 of 15 by Missouri.

Hawaii 82, Middle Tennessee State 63

Lady Raiders (2-7)

		mp	fgm	fga	ftm	fta	reb	pf	tp
Sneed		19	0	5	1	2	1	5	1
Neeley		30	0	2	0	0	3	1	0
Buck		29	8	12	2	2	6	2	18
Smith		35	4	10	3	3	6	2	11
Francis		15	0	1	0	2	0	0	0
Jackson		8	1	1	0	0	1	0	3
Beaty		28	3	12	0	0	7	1	8
Bowman		21	6	11	3	4	4	2	15
Bevis		15	2	7	2	2	3	4	7
Team							5		
Totals		200	24	61	11	15	36	17	63

		mp	fgm	fga	ftm	fta	reb	pf	tp
Forsberg	5	0	0	0	1	0	0	0
Kotilainen	15	0	4	0	0	1	2	0
Cockett		36	7	17	3	4	7	0	17
Itoman		27	2	10	4	4	4	2	8
Ashby		27	4	8	2	4	10	2	10
T. Fujimoto	8	1	3	2	2	0	0	4
Liu		5	0	2	0	0	1	1	0
Evers		5	0	0	2	2	3	2	2
Macintyre	13	3	5	0	0	2	1	8
Wautlet		17	3	4	0	0	1	1	6
Howard		15	3	5	0	0	0	1	6
Leeburg		27	9	13	3	5	9	3	21
Team							6		
Totals		200	32	71	16	22	44	15	82

3-point goals-MTSU 4-12 (Beaty 2-8, Bevis 1-1, Jackson 1-1, Neely 0-1, Francis 0-1), UH 2-9 (Macintyre 2-3, Kotilainene 0-1, Itoman 0-2, Cockett 0-3).

Assists-MTSU 20 (Beaty 6), UH 19 (Itoman 7). Turnovers-MTSU 19 (Sneed 5), UH 14 (Itoman 4). Steals-MTSU 4 (Neely 1, Smith 1, Beaty 1, Bowman 1), UH 18 (Ashby 6). Blocked shots-MTSU 1 (Sneed 1), UH 8 (Cockett 4, Wautlet 4).Technicals-none.

A-933.