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HONOLULU—The University of Hawai`i women's basketball team (4-7, 0-0 Big West) was edged out by Alabama, 44-43 in the championship game of the Bank of Hawaii Rainbow Wahine Invitational. In the loss, Kamilah Martin logged her second straight double-double and fifth of the season with a game-high 15 points and game-high 10 rebounds en route to earning all-tournament honors.
 
Martin was 4-of-8 from the floor and 7-of-9 from the free throw line with one assist. It marked the ninth time in 11 games that Martin has scored at least 10 points and the sixth time this season that she's recorded double-digits in rebounds. Ashleigh Karaitiana and Monica DeAngelis both added seven points while Shawna-Lei Kuehu chipped in five points and nine rebounds off the bench. Kuehu, in just her third game back from injury, also had a blocked shot and two steals.
 
It was a hard fought matchup for both sides with eight ties and seven lead changes. The 'Bows battled all game and did an exceptional job on the boards, out-rebounding the taller Crimson Tide 53-to-36—which is nine rebounds below their season average. However, Alabama (10-3, 0-0 SEC) forced 18 UH turnovers while committing just nine that they were able to efficiently convert into 17 points. Both Alabama and Hawai`i did not shoot well in the game with the Crimson Tide shooting 13-for-55 for 23.6% and UH making 12-of 47 shots for a 25.5 field goal percentage. The 'Bows struggled from the free throw line, and that proved to be crucial in the end as they made just 18-of-29 shots from the charity stripe. Alabama, who at the last NCAA summary, led the nation in turnover margin (14.25) and steals per game (16.6) pressed UH often but the 'Bows turned the ball over 18 times and the Crimson Tide swiped just nine posessions.
 
The game started with UH's defense stifling the Alabama offense which was averaging just under 60 points per game this season. The Tide did not score a field goal until the 9:48 mark in the first half. But Hawai`i was unable to pull away as they missed nine shot opportunities while giving up five turnovers during the first 10 minutes of the game. UH held the lead for the first 16 minutes of the game, but four straight free throws made by Jasmine Robinson put Alabama out in front by two for the first time with 3:56 left in the half. UH trailed going into the break, 18-17.
 
After that point, neither team was able to go more than five points ahead of each other with six ties and six lead changes in the second half alone. Hawai`i was able to tie and re-take the lead at 19-18 on two free throws by Karaitiana to start the half. But a layup by Alabama's Jasmine Robinson see-sawed the lead back to the Crimson Tide. UH then regained the lead on two made foul shots by Sydney Haydel at 22-20. Hawai`i then held the lead for the next four minutes before Alabama battled its way back. The Crimson Tide never relinquished the lead again, but UH had its opportunities. The 'Bows tied the game twice late in the game at 4:14 and later at 3:12 with DeAngelis sinking a pair of free throws after a technical foul was called on the Alabama coach. But both times, the Tide came right back to re-take the lead with a layup. With 41-seconds left and UH down by 44-43, the Rainbow Wahine got a defensive stop and called time out with six seconds left in regulation. Kuehu got the ball on the in-bounds play and the defenders sank to her immediately. She got a floater off but it bounced off the rim allowing Alabama to escape with the one point win.
 
The Rainbow Wahine now hit the road to open their Big West Conference season. Hawai`i travels to Cal State Fullerton first on Jan. 3 at 7:00 p.m. and then UC Riverside on Jan. 5 at 5:00 p.m.