WAHINE BASKETBALL
Rainbow Wahine go out winners on senior night
The Hawaii women's basketball team extended its current winning streak by ending its skid on senior night.
The Rainbow Wahine won their home finale for the first time since 2002 with a 57-49 Western Athletic Conference victory over San Jose State last night at the Stan Sheriff Center.
The win set up a joyous sendoff for UH seniors Brittney Aiwohi, Emily Helmly, Amy Sanders and Callie Spooner, who were honored following their final regular-season home game.
"It means a lot, more than I thought," Sanders said as she greeted well-wishers ranging from youngsters to former UH coach Vince Goo, who recruited her to UH. "We're on a streak right now. This team is playing so hard and so well."
A crowd of 985 was on hand as the Wahine (17-8, 8-6 WAC) earned their fourth straight win and closed their home schedule with an 11-6 mark at the Sheriff Center.
UH has also won six of its last seven to remain tied with Nevada for third place in the WAC heading into a lengthy road trip to New Mexico State and first-place Louisiana Tech to end the regular season. They then head to Reno next week for the WAC tournament.
San Jose State (11-14, 6-8) lost for the sixth time in the last seven games.
It wasn't the prettiest game, with UH committing 24 turnovers and SJSU giving it back 18 times. The teams also combined to shoot 3-for-30 from 3-point range.
But after the game, all that mattered to the Wahine was adding to the win column and celebrating with the seniors.
"(Losing on senior night) last year was kind of a bummer," UH coach Jim Bolla said. "But as least we got a win tonight and we've got a lot of people out there supporting them."
Three UH players posted double-doubles in points and rebounds in the win, the first time since 2001 that had occurred.
UH center Brittany Grice posted her seventh double-double of the season with a team-high 18 points and 11 rebounds. Forward Tanya Smith finished with 14 points and 12 rebounds off the bench.
Sanders shot just 2-for-13 from the field, but still had 11 points and 11 boards in her last appearance at the Sheriff Center.
"She does other things, rebounds and she played really good D," UH coach Jim Bolla said.
The Spartans' duo of forwards Lamisha Augustine and Amber Jackson, the second- and fourth-leading scorers in the WAC, scored all but four of the Spartans points in the second half.
Jackson led SJSU with 19 points and 10 rebounds before fouling out. Augustine had 16 points and 11 boards.
The Wahine stayed in a new-look 1-3-1 zone defense that limited the Spartans to 25 percent (17-for-68) shooting from the field.
"We've had that zone in for only four days," Bolla said. "We wanted to stay in the zone and not get into a one-on-one situation with them."
The Wahine and Spartans combined for one more turnover (22) than field goals in an often-ragged first half as UH took a 28-25 lead into the break.
UH baited the Spartans to shoot from the perimeter with the zone and SJSU obliged by shooting 28 percent (9-for-32), making two of 11 3-point attempts.
The Wahine weren't any better from outside (1-for-8) but did their scoring closer to the basket, with Grice and Smith combining for 16 points.
SJSU closed to 38-37 on two free throws by Jackson with 8:18 left. But UH broke away with an 11-2 run over the next 4 minutes and Grice's free-throw-line jumper put the Wahine ahead 49-39.
"They went on a big run, and we just couldn't recover. I thought we played panicky after that," SJSU coach Janice Richard said.
WAC standings
|
WAC |
Overall
|
|
W |
L |
Pct. |
GB |
W |
L
|
Louisiana Tech |
13 |
1 |
.929 |
-- |
21 |
4
|
Fresno State |
11 |
2 |
.846 |
1 1/2 |
19 |
6
|
Hawaii |
8 |
6 |
.571 |
5 |
17 |
8
|
Nevada |
8 |
6 |
.571 |
5 |
12 |
14
|
Boise State |
6 |
8 |
.429 |
7 |
14 |
12
|
San Jose State |
6 |
8 |
.429 |
7 |
11 |
14
|
New Mexico State |
5 |
10 |
.333 |
8 1/2 |
8 |
18
|
Idaho |
4 |
10 |
.286 |
9 |
8 |
17
|
Utah State |
2 |
12 |
.143 |
11 |
3 |
21 |
Yesterday
Nevada 67, Utah State 51
New Mexico State 56, Idaho 55
Hawaii 57, San Jose State 49
Hawaii 57, San Jose State 49
Spartans (11-14, 6-8 WAC)
|
fg |
fga |
ft |
fta |
min |
reb |
a |
tp
|
Hicks |
1 |
5 |
0 |
0 |
33 |
9 |
2 |
2
|
Imaku |
2 |
7 |
0 |
3 |
38 |
3 |
2 |
4
|
Jackson |
7 |
15 |
5 |
8 |
39 |
10 |
0 |
19
|
Augustine |
5 |
23 |
6 |
6 |
39 |
11 |
2 |
16
|
J. Hall |
0 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
12 |
2 |
0 |
0
|
Shoaf |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0
|
White |
2 |
10 |
2 |
2 |
21 |
3 |
0 |
8
|
A. Hall |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
3 |
0 |
0 |
0
|
Uiagalelei |
0 |
5 |
0 |
0 |
11 |
2 |
1 |
0
|
Morris |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
3 |
0 |
0 |
0
|
TEAM |
|
|
|
|
|
4
|
Totals |
17 |
68 |
13 |
19 |
200 |
44 |
7 |
49 |
Rainbow Wahine (17-8, 8-6 WAC)
|
fg |
fga |
ft |
fta |
min |
reb |
a |
tp
|
Taylor |
4 |
12 |
0 |
0 |
40 |
3 |
1 |
8
|
Kotani |
0 |
1 |
3 |
4 |
19 |
3 |
1 |
3
|
Sanders |
2 |
13 |
6 |
8 |
39 |
11 |
6 |
11
|
Tambini |
1 |
6 |
1 |
2 |
22 |
6 |
1 |
3
|
Grice |
7 |
11 |
4 |
6 |
35 |
11 |
0 |
18
|
Solia |
0 |
3 |
0 |
0 |
16 |
0 |
1 |
0
|
Cariaga |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0
|
Helmly |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0
|
Smith |
6 |
8 |
2 |
5 |
23 |
12 |
1 |
14
|
Spooner |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0
|
Aiwohi |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0
|
Lee |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0
|
TEAM |
|
|
|
|
|
3 |
|
Totals |
20 |
55 |
16 |
25 |
200 |
49 |
11 |
57 |
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 28, San Jose State 25
3-point goals -- SJSU 2-16 (White 2-5, Augustine 0-1, J. Hall 0-1, Imaku 0-2, Hicks 0-3, Uiagalelei 0-4), Hawaii 1-14 (Sanders 1-6, Taylor 0-1, Kotani 0-1, Solia 0-2, Tambini 0-4). Personal fouls -- SJSU 21, Hawaii 17. Fouled out -- Jackson.
Steals -- SJSU 13 (Imaku 5, White 3, Hicks 2, Uiagalelei 2, Augustine), Hawaii 7 (Kotani 2, Tambini 2, Taylor, Sanders, Grice). Blocked shots -- SJSU 4 (Hicks 2, Augustine, J. Hall), Hawaii 5 (Grice 5). Turnovers -- SJSU 18 (Imaku 4, Jackson 4, Augustine 4, Uiagalelei 3, Hicks 2, TEAM), Hawaii 24 (Tambini 7, Sanders 4, Kotani 3, Taylor 2, Grice 2, Smith 2, Aiwohi 2, Solia, Helmly). Officials -- Brow, Wells, Williams. A -- 985.-