Box Score
HONOLULU - The University of Hawai`i Rainbow Wahine basketball team continued its winning ways with a 79-63 victory over Utah State Sunday afternoon. UH improved to 13-12 overall and 7-6 in the Western Athletic Conference with its sixth straight win.
It was a pivotal game for both teams and one that was played a day later than originally scheduled due to Utah State's travel difficulties. Ultimately, UH moved ahead of the Aggies (10-14, 6-6 WAC) for fifth place in the WAC standings and remained just a half game behind Nevada and Fresno State for third place. The Rainbow Wahine, who began its current streak with a win against Utah State in Logan three weeks ago, completed the season sweep of the Aggies and have won all four meetings since Utah State joined the WAC last year. Hawai`i also pushed its overall record above .500 for the first time since late December.
UH used its inside superiority and a solid defensive effort in the second half to pull away. Hawai`i out-rebounded Utah State, 42-26, scoring 25 second-chance points off of 19 offensive boards. Meanwhile, the Rainbow Wahine, who led by just three points at half, limited Utah State to just 30 percent shooting after the break and held leading-scorer Brittany Phillips to just one point after she exploded for 17 in the first half.
UH matched its season-high of 79 points set in its last outing versus Fresno State and for the second straight game got a balanced attack. A total of 13 players saw action, with 11 finishing in the scoring column. Four players finished in double-figures led by Pam Tambini's 20 points. Janevia Taylor poured in 16, Brittany Grice 12 and Tanya Smith notched her team-leading seventh double-double of the year with 14 points and 13 rebounds.
UH took the lead for good less than five minutes into the game, but would not pull away until after the break. Hawai`i crashed the boards, but the Aggies shot 55 percent in the first half to trail, 35-32, going into the locker room. The Rainbow Wahine, however, scored the first seven points of the second half to take its first double double-digit lead of the game. The Aggies would get no closer than five points and UH would maintain a double-digit lead for most of the final eight minutes of the game. The Rainbow Wahine shot 50 percent after the break and went to the line 25 times in the second half, converting 16 free throws.
The Rainbow Wahine wrap up its home schedule with a meeting versus San Jose State on Saturday, Feb. 24 at 7:00 p.m. Five UH seniors - Cassidy Chretien, Grice, Amber Lee, Tambini and Taylor - will be honored following their final home appearance.
-UH-
