Box Score
HONOLULU - Hawai`i claimed third place in the Hawaiian Airlines Rainbow Wahine Classic with a 68-57 win over Gonzaga Sunday afternoon at the Stan Sheriff Center. The Rainbow Wahine improved to 3-2, while placing third in the Classic for the second straight year.
UH was led by the senior trio of Brittany Grice, Pam Tambini and Janevia Taylor. Both Grice (18 points, 11 rebounds) and Tambini (18 points, 10 rebounds) finished with double-doubles, while Taylor notched 11 points, five rebounds and a career-high nine assists. Stephanie Hawk led the Bulldogs (5-3) with 21 points and Michelle Elliott added 19.
Hawai`i led from wire-to-wire and were never threatened by Bulldogs, who trailed by as many as 21 points. The Bulldogs were doomed by a dreadful start. Gonzaga missed 11 field goal attempts, turned the ball over five times and had only one point in the first nine minutes of the game. The Zags didn't get its first field goal until the 11-minute mark on Vivian Frieson's 3-pointer.
UH took full advantage, staking a double-digit lead early and holding a 30-19 advantage at the break. Hawai`i played tough inside as Grice notched 13 of her points in the first half and the Rainbow Wahine out-rebounded the Bulldogs, 48-28, for the game.
Hawai`i built its lead to 52-31 at the midway point of the second half on a Iwona Zagrobelna 3-pointer. Gonzaga responded with a 10-0 run over the next three minutes to cut the deficit to 11, but they would get no closer. UH went up by 20 again with four minutes left before the Bulldogs scored 12 of the game's last 15 points.
UH has won all three meetings against Gonzaga and improved to 17-3 all-time against the West Coast Conference.
No. 2 North Carolina steamrolled through the competition to capture the tournament title, including a 94-69 win over Arkansas in the tournament's championship game.
Hawai`i now has a nine-day layoff before heading for the road and a three-game Southern California road trip beginning with a meeting with Cal State Northridge on Tuesday, Dec. 5. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. PST.
Sunday's Results
7th Place Game: Denver 60, Sacramento State 31
5th Place Game: Texas Tech 75, No. 21 UCLA 60
3rd Place Game: Hawai`i 68, Gonzaga 57
Championship Game: No. 2 North Carolina 94, Arkansas 69
All-Tournament Team
Lindsey Pluimer, UCLA
Alesha Robertson, Texas Tech
Michelle Elliott, Gonzaga
Janevia Taylor, Hawai`i
Camille Little, North Carolina
Donica Cosby, Arkansas
Ivory Latta, North Carolina
MVP: Erlana Larkins, North Carolina
-UH-
