Box Score

TULSA, Okla.— Hawaii gave a valiant effort but fell just shy of an improbable upset of top-seeded and nationally ranked Louisiana Tech in the Western Athletic Conference Tournament championship on Saturday. Amber Obaze had a game-high 16 points, including a critical jumper with 47 seconds left in the game to help lead the Lady Techsters to a 53-50 win and their seventh straight conference tournament championship.

UH stunned a crowd of 1,943 at the Donald Reynolds Center by going toe-toe with the heavily favored Lady Techsters. Hawaii led by as many as nine points early in the second half and held a 48-45 edge with just six minutes remaining. However, Louisiana Tech (25-4) made the decisive run, limiting the Wahine to just one bucket the rest of the way, while scoring eight points to close the game. The Rainbow Wahine had a chance to send the game into overtime but Janka Gabrielova's with five seconds remaining fell off the mark.

The game looked to be a blowout early as Louisiana Tech jumped out to a double-digit advantage (12-2) seven minutes into the game. But UH slowly chipped away. With the Lady Techsters leading 17-13, UH scored 11 unanswered points to take a 24-17 lead. Consecutive 3-point plays by Kim Willoughby catapulted UH into the lead. A 3-point bomb by Gabrielova and a pair of free throws by Karena Greeny extended the lead to seven points, an advantage UH was able to take into the locker room at halftime. Willoughby, Gabrielova and center Christen Roper scored all but two of UH 28 first-half points.

UH took its largest lead of the game, 32-23, on a Natasja Allen bucket two minutes into the second half. La Tech's All-American forward Ayana Walker then spurred a comeback with under 12 minutes in the game. After a 3-point play by Greeny gave UH a 41-34 lead, the Lady Techster responded with an 11-0 run of their own. Walker started the run by setting up an Essence Perry 3-pointer, then on the other end swatted a Roper shot attempt that led to Obaze's breakaway layup. A Walker bucket on their next possession continued the run that was capped by a Cheryl Ford shot inside with nine minutes left.

UH came back with a 7-0 run as Chelsea Wagner 3-pointer over two La Tech defenders gave UH a 48-45 lead and strong hopes for its first-ever WAC tourney title with six minutes left in the game. The game was knotted at 50-50 when Obaze hit a 14-foot jumper along the baseline that gave the Lady Techsters the lead for good. La Tech had a chance to seal the game sending Brooke Lassiter, the NCAA's all-time leader in free throw percentage at 95 percent, to the line with less than 30 seconds left. But she surprisingly missed her second attempt to give UH and Gabrielova its one last gasp.

Hawaii shot just 32 percent compared to Louisiana Tech's 41 but competed due to its advantage on the boards (42-33). UH also hit all 10 of its free throws, while the Lady Techsters missed eight of its nine 3-point shots.

Willoughby led UH with her second career double-double (12 points and 12 rebounds), while Roper finished with 12 points and seven rebounds. Gabrielova finished with 11 points. All three were named to the all-tournament team as was Louisiana Tech's Cheryl Ford, who finished with 15 points and 13 rebounds. Walker (14 points, nine rebounds, four blocks) was named the tournament MVP.

Hawaii now stands at 23-7 overall and awaits a post-season berth to be announced Sunday.