Game Notes

LONG BEACH, Calif.--The University of Hawai'i women's basketball team stays on the road this week to start the second round of Big West action at Long Beach State on Thursday, Feb. 7 and UC Irvine on Saturday, Feb. 9. The Rainbow Wahine evened their overall record at 10-10 and is tied for second place in conference with a 6-3 record after defeating Cal State Northridge at the Matadome this past Saturday, 65-53. The Rainbow Wahine are two games behind Big West leaders, Pacific who finished the first round with an 8-1 record.
 
Hawai'i head coach Laura Beeman won her 400th overall career game with the win at CSUN. The first year UH coach has 10 wins this season after spending 15 seasons at the helm of the junior college program at Mt. San Antonio College. At Mt. SAC, she led the Mounties to 10 conference championships and four California Community College State Championships and compiled a 390-110 record. Her total career record as a head coach is 400-120.
 
The Rainbow Wahine brushed off a tough, one-point loss to UC Santa Barbara in Honolulu on Jan. 26 and went to Cal State Northridge on a mission to claim second place in the Big West. Hawai'i, CSUN, and Cal Poly all entered the game tied with identical 5-3 Big West records.
 
Hawai'i started slow against the Matadors, but Kamilah Martin got the 'Bows on track, leading UH with her seventh double-double of the season with 20 points and 11 rebounds. Martin led a quartet of 'Bows who scored in double-figures—Kuehu, Karaitiana, and Tagalicod. Hawai'i erased an early 0-9 deficit and took a 34-33 lead into halftime. In the second half, UH outscored CSUN 31-to-20 en route to the win which was a fueled by a 15-to-2 Rainbow run. Hawai'i's defense clamped down on the Matadors, holding them to a 21.4 field-goal percentage. CSUN was stymied, making just 1-of-16 field goals during a span of over 12-minutes from 14:30 on the clock to just 2:20 left in the game. On the glass, after being out-rebounded 25-to-16 in the first half, UH battled back on the boards in the second half out-rebounding CSUN 23-to-17.
 
As a team, Hawai'i made a season-high 25 free throws in 31 attempts—including 6-of-8 down the stretch with Sydney Haydel making 4-of-4 and Tagalicod sinking 2-of-4 to ice the game. CSUN won the rebounding battle, 42-to-39 and outscored the Rainbow Wahine in the paint 26-to-20. But UH had the advantage in points off or turnovers and scoring off the bench, 25-to-14.
 
The Rainbow Wahine's 6-3 conference mark is UH's best since the 2001-02 team started the Western Athletic Confrence with an 8-2 record.
 
Long Beach State (11-10, 4-5 BWC) is coming off a pair of road losses at UC Davis and Pacific last week. But the 49ers have been much tougher at home this season, with a 10-3 overall home record and a 4-1conference mark at the Walter Pyramid, opposed to a 1-7 overall road record and 0-4 BWC mark when they're away from home. Alex Sanchez continues to lead the 49ers with 10.4 points per game,  assists, and 35 steals. Devin Hudson has been tough in the paint, averaging 8.4 points per game and a team-high 8.0 rebounds a game.
 
 
Game 21 Tipoff Notes
Who: Hawai'i (10-10, 6-3 Big West) at Long Beach State (11-10, 4-5 Big West)
Date: Thursday, Feb. 7, 2013
Time: 7:00 pm (PST)
Where: The Pyramid(4,200)
Streaming Video: Streaming video will be available at www.longbeachstate.com
Audio Webcast: An audio webcast of the game will be available at www.longbeachstate.com
Live Stats: Live in-game stats are available at www.longbeachstate.com
Coaches: UH head coach Laura Beeman is in her first season at Hawai'i with a 10-10 overall record and 6-3 mark in conference. With the win at CSUN, Beeman won her 400th overall win. Prior UH, Beeman made her mark at the junior college level where she enjoyed a phenomenally successful 15-year run as the head coach at Mt. San Antonio College (Mt. SAC). There she led the Mounties to 10 conference championships and four California Community College State Championships—including a string of three straight from 2006-08. Beeman posted a 390-110 (.780) record during her tenure at Mt. SAC. LBSU head coach Jody Wynn is in her fourth season with the 49ers with a 46-68 overall record all at Long Beach State.
Series History: Hawai'i trails Long Beach State in the series history, 8-15. UH won the first meeting vs. LBSU in Honolulu earlier this season, 65-57.