Box Score
HONOLULU--One day after head coach Vince Goo announced his impending retirement, the University of Hawai'i Rainbow Wahine Basketball team responded with a decisive 64-49 win over Boise State Thursday night at the Stan Sheriff Center. The Rainbow Wahine snapped a five-game losing streak and improved to 6-16 overall and 4-9 in the WAC.
Hawai'i swept the season series against the Broncos, who have yet to beat the Rainbow Wahine in six tries. UH also moved into seventh place in the WAC, a half game ahead of the Broncos (7-16, 4-10 WAC).
UH led from start to finish, displaying hustle and an up-tempo style to win their first game in nearly a month. The Rainbow Wahine scored the game's first nine points and went up 16-2 over a stunned Boise State squad. The Broncos were unable to convert on their first 10 possession of the game and made just one of their first 10 field goal attempts.
UH, which led by as many as 19 points in the first half, took a 30-20 advantage into the locker room. The Broncos cut the lead to seven on their first possession of the second half on a Lynn Grondin 3-pointer. The Broncos, however, would get no closer as the Rainbow Wahine maintained their intensity for the full 40 minutes. The Rainbow Wahine turned 24 Boise State turnovers into 31 points, and while the teams were even in rebounding numbers, Hawai'i's hard-fought effort paid off in a 21-7 edge in second chance points.
Freshman guard Pam Tambini led the way for the Rainbow Wahine with a season-high 13 points on 6-10 shooting, while junior Jade Abele hit 3-4 from behind the three-point arc to finish with 11 points and five assists. Boise State guard Lynnette Grondin led all scorers with a game-high 16 points, but was the only Bronco to reach double figures.
Hawai'i concludes its two-game WAC homestand this Saturday, Feb. 21, against the UTEP Miners. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. at the Stan Sheriff Center.
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