Box Score
HONOLULU - Hawaii overcame a nine-point second half deficit to defeat Washington State, 68-63, in the opening round of the Hawaiian Airlines Rainbow Wahine Classic Friday afternoon at the Stan Sheriff Center. The Rainbow Wahine improved to 2-1 on the season while advancing to the Classic semifinals for the first time in three years.
UH got a balanced attack with four players in double figures, including Brittany Grice (14), Janevia Taylor (13), Amy Sanders (12) and Tanya Smith (12). Charmaine Jones scored 16 points to lead the Cougars (2-1), who dropped their first game of the year.
The game was deadlocked at 57-57 with a little more than two minutes remaining but the Rainbow Wahine out-scored the Cougars, 11-6, the rest of the way. Nine of UH's final 11 points game from the charity stripe. The teams combined for a total of 53 fouls in the game as UH nailed 17-of-20 free throws in the second frame to ensure the win.
UH held the lead for much of the first 15 minutes with the Cougars taking the lead for the first time with five minutes left in the half. WSU expanded their lead to as many as eight points before going to the locker room with a 41-35 advantage. UH shot 57 percent in the first frame, but missed 11of its first 19 free throw attempts and were out-rebounded 23-15.
UH scored just two points in the first six minutes of the second half and found themselves in a nine-point hole, 44-35, with 14 minutes left. The Rainbow Wahine finally got going and a 14-4 run, capped by a Grice three-point play, put UH up again, 49-48 with less than 10 minutes remaining. The game was a back-and-forth affair the rest of the way before Alofa Toiaivao's layup put UH up for good at the 2:10 mark.
Hawaii will next play Big 10 foe Wisconsin, an 85-73 winner over Idaho State in the tournament's opening game. Tipoff is set for 5 p.m. on Saturday.
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Friday's Results
Wisconsin 85, Idaho State 73
Hawaii 68 Washington State 63
Texas A&M 76, Cal State Northridge 52
#17 DePaul 64, Eastern Michigan 49
Saturday's Schedule
Washington State vs. Idaho State, 10:30 am
Eastern Michigan vs. Cal State Northridge, 12:40 pm
#17 DePaul vs. Texas A&M, 2:50 pm
Hawaii vs. Wisconsin, 5:00 pm
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