Box Score
EL PASO, Texas—The University of Hawaii Rainbow Wahine baksetball team hit a school-record 15 3-pointers to power their way to a 89-66 win over UTEP at the Don Haskins Center Monday. The Rainbow Wahine improved to 15-4 overall and 8-2 in the WAC with their fifth straight win.
An undersized Miner squad played zone defense for most of the game and the Rainbow Wahine made them pay. Six different players scored in double figures, led by Chelsea Wagner's career-high 17 points. Making her second career start for the injured April Atuaia, the 5-10 freshman nailed 5-of-10 from behind the arc and also included a career-high six assists.
UH shot a season best 58 percent from the floor en route to their season-high 89 points. The 15 3-pointers shattered the old record of 11 set last year in an overtime loss to TCU. UH's 29 attempts also tied a school record.
UH made 10 of its 3-pointers in the first half and needed every one of them as the pesky Miners (3-16, 1-9) kept it close for much of the first half. Dragana Zoric hit her first five shots and scored 10 points in the first six minutes as UTEP led 15-10 early on. The Miners finished the game shooting 44 percent, the highest percentage this year against a stingy UH defense.
The Rainbow Wahine weren't able to get their first lead until 12 minutes into the game, but closed the first half with a 13-2 to take a 44-34 advantage into the locker room. UH extended its lead to as many as 28 in the second half as nine of the UH 10 players got on the scoreboard.
Joining Wagner in double figures were Karena Greeny (13), Jade Abele (13), Natasja Allen (12), Janka Gabrielova (11) and Christen Roper (10. Zoric had 21 points for the Miners, who lost their ninth straight game.
The Miners out-rebounded the Wahine 31-29 and outscored UH 7-4 at the free throw line, but they could not overcome UH's 3-point onslaught as the teams combined for 50 attempts from long range.
Hawaii next travels to Ruston, La. to take on #7 Louisiana Tech Thursday, February 7 in a battle of the WAC's top teams. Tipoff is set for 6 p.m. CST.
