Box Score

LOS ANGELES - Two days after a comeback win over Cal State Northridge, the University of Hawai`i Rainbow Wahine basketball team found itself on the opposite end of the spectrum. LMU rallied from a 12-point halftime deficit and defeated Hawai`i, 79-69, Thursday night at Gersten Pavilion.

The Rainbow Wahine (4-3), who led by as many as 17 points in the first half, surrendered 53 points in the second half to drop its first road game of the year and their first against the Lions in nine all-time meetings.

Jennifer Hall led the Lions (5-4) with 24 points with nearly half her points coming from the charity stripe. The Lions converted on 16-of-17 free throws in the second half to help seal the comeback. For the game, LMU shot 27-of-31 from the line for the game. The LMU posts pounded the Rainbow Wahine inside as UH starters Brittany Grice and Tanya Smith both fouled out, while Iwona Zagrobelna finishing with four fouls. The three combined for eight points, while Hall and fellow frontcourt member Ashlee Dunlap combined for 37 points and 19 rebounds for LMU.

Three Rainbow Wahine got the bulk of its scoring from a trio of players, led by Pam Tambini, who tied her career-high with 20 points. Janevia Taylor finished with 16 points and a team-high seven assists, while Saundra Cariaga poured in a career-best 16 points.

Hawai`i led the entire first half and grabbed a double-digit lead less than eight minutes into the game. The Rainbow Wahine defense spurred numerous fast break opportunities as UH built its lead to as many as 17 points before taking a 38-26 lead at the break. Hawai`i held the Lions to just seven field goals and 27 percent shooting in the first half.

But the Lions came out roaring in the second half with a 19-6 run. LMU took its first lead of the game when Kativa Goss hit a 3-pointer as the shot clock expired at the 13-minute mark. From there the teams went back-and-forth with eight lead changes over the next seven minutes. Another spurt put the Lions up for good as Valerie Ogoke's free throws capped a nine-point run that put LMU up by seven with five minutes remaining. UH cut the lead to two on a Tambini's bucket with 3:36 left, but that would be as close as it would get.

UH concludes its three-game Southern California road trip with a meeting versus USC on Saturday, Dec. 9. Tipoff is set for 1:00 p.m. PST.

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