However, the University of Hawaii women's basketball team faces bigger things this week.

First, there is the Texas Christian University game tomorrow, then a showdown with Southern Methodist University on Saturday. Should the Wahine win these Western Athletic Conference Pacific Division games, they will clinch the division championship.

With the title goes the top seed from the division in the WAC Tournament, March 2-7 in Las Vegas. Being seeded No. 1 in the tournament (or even No. 2) means the Wahine would have a first-round bye, a major goal for UH coach Vince Goo, his staff and team.

SMU (17-5 overall, 9-2 conference) has the best shot of catching Hawaii, but the Lady Mustangs could stumble at San Diego State on Thursday if they get caught looking ahead to the UH matchup.

The same is true for the Wahine (20-1, 10-0) if they lose focus tomorrow in their 7 p.m. contest at the Stan Sheriff Center.

Texas Christian (13-9, 4-7) is one of four teams battling for the final three Pacific Division spots in the WAC Tournament.

The Lady Frogs are the only team to take the Wahine into overtime this season. They led by as many as 15 points in the second half and were up by 10 with five minutes to play. Brandi Ashby's jumper tied the score with 30 seconds left in regulation, and her two free throws in OT put UH ahead for good in the 82-79 victory.

"They do not quit. They are young, but they do not give up," Ashby, who had a season-high 29 points in the Jan. 17 game, said of the Lady Frogs.

"They have strength on the perimeter," Goo said. "We'll have to pressure their people because they can shoot."

There is no secret to the Wahine success. It all starts on defense. They have to box out and contest shots in order to get their offense going.

On offense, the Mustangs' strength is its inside game. In the Jan. 15 game, 6-foot-1 forward Karlin Kennedy led SMU with 15 points and 6-2 forward/center Claudia Brassard scored 10 and had nine rebounds.

"They are just a good team with good inside players and good outside players," Ashby stated.

The Wahine have used matchup zone defense much of the season, but worked on man defense this week. Goo expects he'll have to use it this week.

Hawaii is 2-0 vs. TCU and 4-0 vs. SMU.

MOVING UP: Hawaii is No. 10 in the latest Women's Basketball Coaches Association/Summerville RPI, released Feb. 8. UH was No. 11 last week.

The RPI is a formula based on a team's winning percentage, strength of schedule and opponents' strength of schedule.

In the list of 30 Division I conferences, the WAC is No. 10. The Southeastern Conference tops the list, with the Big 12, Atlantic Coast, Big Ten and Pacific 10 rounding out the top five.