Box Score
HONOLULU--Hawaii won back-to-back games for the first time this season, after defeating UTEP, 57-49, Saturday night at the Stan Sheriff Center. The win improved the Rainbow Wahine to 7-16 overall and 5-9 in the WAC, while snapping the Miners four-game winning streak.
Hawaii used a 16-2 second half run to pull away from the Miners (14-10, 9-6 WAC), who went nearly 10 minutes without a field goal. UTEP used full court pressure in attempt to comeback, but the Rainbow Wahine hit key perimeter shots down the stretch to hold off the late Miner charge.
Hawaii jumped out first, using an 8-0 run capped by a Janevia Taylor banker to take a 12-5 lead. UTEP responded with a 9-2 run of their own to tie the game at 14 with 7:55 to play. With help from the charity stripe, Hawaii regained control of the game with a 7-0 run and held a five point margin, but quick back-to-back lay-ins by Miner Ingrid Goslin with under a minute to play in the half cut the Rainbow Wahine advantage to a single point, 23-22, going into the break.
Three quick UTEP points to open the second half gave the Miners a 25-23 lead at the 19:13 mark. It would be the last time UTEP would lead, as Hawaii's got into a rhythm offensively and began to frustrated the Miners on the defensive end The Rainbow Wahine scored the 14 straight points, and by the time UTEP hit its next field goal at the 9:47 mark, Hawaii had built a 39-29 lead.
Miner Vaida Zagurskyte single-handedly brought the Miners back into the game with 11 straight points, cutting the margin to six with less than seven minutes left. But, consecutive 3-pointers by Pam Tambini, extended the Hawaii lead back to 11.
Freshman Taylor led the way for the Rainbow Wahine, with 19 points, 14 of which came in the second half, while Pam Tambini established a new career high with 17. Noni Wharemate paced the UTEP effort with 12 points, while Zagurskyte finished with 11, all in second half.
The Rainbow Wahine next hit the road to take on the Tulsa Golden Hurricane on Thursday, February 26. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. CST.
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