Box Score

LOGAN, Utah - The University of Hawai'i women's basketball team opened Western Athletic Conference play with a tough 55-48 loss at Utah State on Thursday night in the Glen Dee Spectrum.

The Rainbow Wahine struggled offensively and committed 33 turnovers in the loss. Utah State scored 28 points off UH turnovers. The UH defense kept them in the game, holding Utah State to 31.7 percent shooting from the field.

Even with the struggles, UH made a late run against Utah State, cutting a once 16-point lead to five with 1:26 left in the game.

Utah State held off the late run to put the Rainbow Wahine away. With the loss UH falls to 6-8 overall and 0-1 in conference play. Utah State improved to 6-8 overall and 2-0 in WAC play.

Offensively for UH, Iwona Zagrobelna tied her career-high with 18 points and added nine rebounds and Tanya Smith recorded her 10th double-double of the year with 13 points and 12 rebounds. Smith has now recorded five straight double-doubles.

UH travels to Reno on Thursday afternoon in preparation for its second WAC game of the year on Saturday night. The Rainbow Wahine face the Wolf Pack at the Lawlor Events Center on the Nevada campus.

In the opening half, the Rainbow Wahine found themselves turning the ball over too often in the opening 10 minutes. After they settled down, the Rainbow Wahine cut into Utah State's lead. UH trailed 32-23 at the break.

UH turned the ball over 18 times in the first half, and only managed 21 shots from the floor. But the Rainbow Wahine defense kept them in the game, holding Utah State to 31.6 percent shooting from the field.

Offensively, Tanya Smith kept UH in the game, scoring nine points and eight rebounds before picking up her second foul and sitting out the final four minutes of the first half. Iwona Zagrobelna came off the bench to score six points for UH.

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