Box Score

HONOLULU--Hawaii has a date with the defending NCAA champions after defeating Gonzaga, 71-61, in the opening round of the 24th Annual Hawaiian Airlines Rainbow Wahine Classic Friday at the Stan Sheriff Center. The win sets up a semifinal match up between the Rainbow Wahine and No. 4 Connecticut Saturday at 11 a.m.

April Atuaia recorded her first double-double of the season with 17 points and 11 rebounds to while, Natasja Allen scored a game-high 18 points to pace the Rainbow Wahine, who improved to 3-0 on the season.

Hawaii led from wire and wire and finished with a double-digit win, but it was competitive game throughout. UH built its lead to as many as eight late in the first, but consecutive 3-pointers by Trianna Allen cut the lead to two points. The Rainbow Wahine took a slim 38-34 lead into the locker room as Atuaia scored 12 of her points in the first half.

The Rainbow Wahine came out inspired in the second frame, outscoring the Bulldogs 9-2 in the first four minutes to grab a double-digit lead. An Amy Sanders free throw with 6:21 left to play, gave UH its biggest lead of the game, 58-41. The Bulldogs, however, wouldn't back down and went on a 9-0 run in the next three minutes to cut the lead to single-digits and stay in the game.

UH, however, squashed any comeback hopes by the Bulldogs, as the margin never got closer than seven. The Rainbows outscored the Bulldogs 23-7 on the charity stripe, and won the battle of the boards, 38-29. UH shot 51 percent to Gonzaga's 35 percent.

Ashley Burke led the Bulldogs with 17 points, while Shannon Mathews scored 14. Jade Abele was the only other Rainbow Wahine in double figures as she finished with a career-high 15 points.

Connecticut trounced Denver, 85-29, to reach the semifinals. UH and UConn have met two other times, both in the Rainbow Wahine Classic with each program winning a game. No. 12 North Carolina will meet No. 22 Oklahoma in the other semifinal. The Tar Heels beat DePaul, 82-66, while the Sooners were 90-62 victors over Fordham.