RAINBOW WAHINE BASKETBALL
Rainbow Wahine don't let Wolf Pack steal 1 away
From staff and wire reports
RENO, Nev. » Trailing for the first time in the second half with 2:59 remaining in the game, the Hawaii women's basketball team scored six consecutive points to regain the lead and went on to win its Western Athletic Conference opener 79-74 at the Lawlor Events Center.
The victory was the eighth consecutive victory for the Rainbow Wahine (10-2, 1-0) and improved their road record to 3-0 this season. They did it by holding the Wolf Pack scoreless for the final 52.5 seconds after Dellena Criner's 3-point play had cut the UH lead to 75-74 with 66 seconds remaining.
"We were in better shape," Hawaii coach Jim Bolla said. "They were huffing and puffing at the end. Again, we finished.
"A year ago we would not have finished this game. The players understand how to do that now."
Janevia Taylor led the Wahine with 20 points. Hawaii's front line of Brittany Grice (3-for-7), Tanya Smith (6-for-6) and Alofa Toiaivao (7-for-11) was 16-for-24 from the field.
Toiaivao had a game-high nine rebounds to help the Wahine control the boards 41-28.
Nevada's only lead in the second half was at 71-69, coming on a 3-pointer by Traci Graham with 2:59 left.
Hawaii responded, tying the score on a layup by Dalia Solia at 2:39. The Wahine went ahead on Taylor's rebound and putback at 2:09 following an Amy Sanders' steal, and then got some breathing room at 75-71 on Solia's jumper with 1:48 to play.
Sanders scored the final UH points on a jumper with 51 seconds left and two free throws with four seconds left.
"The last 3 or 4 minutes we played good D, got a couple of steals and a couple of blocks that gave us breathing room," Bolla said.
The game was tied at 17-17 with 7:50 to go in the first half when UH went on a 12-2 run to take a 29-19 lead. Toiaivao and Smith each scored four points to lead the surge.
The teams traded baskets the rest of the half with the Wahine taking a 37-28 lead at the break.
Hawaii scored five quick points on a 3-pointer by Taylor and Pam Tambini's jumper to take a 14-point lead (42-28) to start the second half. But the Wolf Pack (3-9, 0-1) kept chipping away at the deficit.
From the 9:03 to the 6:29 marks, Nevada forward Meghan McGuire scored 11 consecutive points to cut the Wahine lead to 69-64.
"We just couldn't stop her. We had a mismatch with either Alofa or Brittany (Grice) on her because she can shoot the 3," Bolla said.
Two free throws by Criner and Brandi Fitzgerald's short jumper brought Nevada to within one point, 69-68. After Graham gave the Wolf Pack their only lead of the second half, UH outscored Nevada 10-3 the rest of the way.
Hawaii 79, Nevada 74
RAINBOW WAHINE (10-2, 1-0 WAC)
|
fg |
fga |
ft |
fta |
min |
reb |
a |
tp |
| Taylor |
8 |
17 |
1 |
3 |
35 |
2 |
5 |
20 |
| Sanders |
4 |
15 |
4 |
4 |
38 |
1 |
4 |
14 |
| Tambini |
2 |
5 |
0 |
0 |
16 |
5 |
0 |
4 |
| Grice |
3 |
7 |
1 |
2 |
28 |
7 |
1 |
7 |
| Toiaivao |
7 |
11 |
0 |
0 |
30 |
9 |
1 |
14 |
| Kotani |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Solia |
2 |
5 |
0 |
0 |
21 |
0 |
2 |
4 |
| Chretien |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
8 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
| Smith |
6 |
6 |
4 |
4 |
23 |
8 |
0 |
16 |
| TEAM |
|
|
|
|
|
8 |
|
| Totals |
32 |
67 |
10 |
13 |
200 |
41 |
13 |
79 |
|
WOLF PACK (9-2)
|
fg |
fga |
ft |
fta |
min |
reb |
a |
tp |
| Graham |
3 |
8 |
0 |
0 |
34 |
2 |
4 |
7 |
| Preslar |
4 |
10 |
4 |
4 |
23 |
6 |
1 |
12 |
| Franklin |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
16 |
4 |
0 |
2 |
| Saltmarsh |
2 |
3 |
0 |
0 |
23 |
0 |
1 |
4 |
| McGuire |
11 |
21 |
4 |
4 |
31 |
4 |
0 |
28 |
| Henry |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Fitzgerald |
5 |
8 |
0 |
0 |
22 |
2 |
0 |
10 |
| Feest |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Hayman |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Sitton |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
4 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
|
| Criner |
2 |
4 |
4 |
5 |
20 |
0 |
2 |
9 |
| Salave'a |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
6 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
| Keys |
1 |
3 |
0 |
0 |
14 |
1 |
0 |
2 |
| Janisyte |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
| TEAM |
|
|
|
|
|
6 |
| Totals |
29 |
60 |
12 |
13 |
200 |
28 |
8 |
74 |
|
Key -- fg: field goals made; fga: field goals attempted; ft: free throws made; fta: free throws attempted; min: minutes played; reb: rebounds; a: assists; tp: total points.
Halftime -- Hawaii 37, Nevada 28.
3-point goals -- Hawaii 5-11 (Taylor 3-5, Sanders 2-6), Nevada 4-12 (McGuire 2-7, Criner 1-1, Graham 1-3, Preslar 0-1). Personal fouls -- Nevada 15, Hawaii 14.
Steals -- Hawaii 11 (Taylor 2, Sanders 2, Grice 2, Toiaivao 2, Solia 2, Smith), Nevada 8 (McGuire 4, Graham, Preslar, Fitzgerald, Criner). Blocked shots -- Hawaii 4 (Taylor, Grice, Toiaivao, Smith), Nevada 1 (McGuire). Turnovers -- Hawaii 18 (Tambini 5, Taylor 3, Sanders 3, Solia 3, Smith 2, Grice, Toiaivao), Nevada 17 (Preslar 4, McGuire 4, Criner 3, Fitzgerald 2, Graham, Salave'a, Keys, Janisyte). Officials -- Barlow, Ortega, Adams. A -- 452.
WAC standings
|
WAC |
Overall |
|
W |
L |
Pct. |
GB |
W |
L |
| Hawaii |
1 |
0 |
1.000 |
-- |
10 |
2 |
| Louisiana Tech |
1 |
0 |
1.000 |
-- |
9 |
3 |
| Idaho |
1 |
0 |
1.000 |
-- |
5 |
7 |
| San Jose State |
1 |
0 |
1.000 |
-- |
4 |
6 |
| Fresno State |
0 |
0 |
.000 |
1/2 |
8 |
4 |
| Boise State |
0 |
1 |
.000 |
1 |
8 |
5 |
| Nevada |
0 |
1 |
.000 |
1 |
3 |
9 |
| New Mexico State |
0 |
1 |
.000 |
1 |
3 |
9 |
| Utah State |
0 |
1 |
.000 |
1 |
1 |
10 |
Yesterday
Hawaii 79, Nevada 74
Idaho 59, New Mexico State 50
San Jose State 63, Utah State 51
Louisiana Tech 75, Boise State 61
Tomorrow
San Jose State at Nevada
Boise State at New Mexico State
Idaho at Louisiana Tech
Fresno State at Utah State
