Box Score
SAN FRANCISCO - The University of Hawai'i Rainbow Wahine basketball team made its first road game of the season a successful one with a 71-63 win over San Francisco Thursday night at War Memorial Gym. The Rainbow Wahine improved to 4-2 on the season with its fourth win in its last five games.
Following a 10-day layoff, UH showed signs of rust but shook it off in the second half with a strong all-around effort. The Rainbow Wahine trailed by as many as seven, but turned it around completely and eventually led by as many as 14 points late in the game. Hawaii's last three wins have been of the comeback variety.
Pam Tambini led the UH charge with a career-high 20 points. The San Jose, Calif., native also added six rebounds and a career-best five steals. Janevia Taylor made her return with 16 points and a team-high six assists, while Brittany Grice notched her second career double-double with 13 points and 11 rebounds.
Dominique Carter led USF with 18 points. Carter scored 14 points in the first frame, but the Rainbow Wahine limited her to just four in the second half as the Dons (2-5) dropped their third straight game.
UH cracked the Dons zone defense by nailing a season-high eight 3-pointers and generated numerous fast-break opportunities with its 15 steals. The Rainbow Wahine comeback was also aided by 13 second-half free throws, after shooting just two in the first frame.
The first half went back-and-forth with neither team taking a substantial lead. Dalia Solia's trey with just over three minutes left put the Rainbow Wahine up, 30-27. But the Dons scored eight straight points, all by the hands of Carter, to take a 35-30 lead into the locker room.
USF scored the first bucket of the second half to make it a 37-30 game, but that's when the Rainbow Wahine woke up. UH eventually evened the game up four minutes into the second half and with the game knotted 47-47 at the 12-minute mark, the Rainbow Wahine made their decisive run. Tambini scored the first five points in a 15-3 run as UH took a double-digit lead and never looked back.
UH completes its two-game road trip with a meeting against Santa Clara on Saturday, Dec. 10. Tipoff is set for 2 p.m. PST.
-uh-