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HONOLULU—The University of Hawai`i women's basketball team (12-10, 6-4 Big West) returned home after their longest roadtrip of the year to notch a win over UC Riverside, 67-54 on Thursday night at the Stan Sheriff Center. The Rainbow Wahine are currently in third place with a 6-4 record in conference action. UC Riverside fell to 4-19 overall and 0-10 in the Big West. Hawai`i was led by Morgan Mason who scored a career-high 15 points while Kamilah Jackson recorded her 12th double-double of the season with 13 points and 14 rebounds.
 
Not only did Mason tally a career-high in points, but she also dished out a career-high three assists while tying her career-high with seven rebounds. Mason went 4-for-9 from the floor and 7-of-10 from the free throw line.
 
Jackson was 4-of-11 in field goals and 5-of-6 from the charity stripe. The Rainbow Wahine fans held their breath collectively when she went down with a tweaked foot after a missed layup at the 16:40 mark in the second half. But she game back to finish the game strong for her 55th career double-double.
 
The Rainbow Wahine jumped out to an early four point lead twice, but the Highlanders battled back via a 13-to-2 run that gave UCR a 10 point lead with 7:26 left in the first half.  UC Riverside held the 'Bows without a field goal for over five minutes between 11:36 and the 6:06 mark. However, Hawai`i would fight their way back into the game ending the half on a 15-to-2 run. UH recaptured the lead at 26-25 on a Mason layup with 1:27 left in the half. The Highlanders missed their last nine of 10 field goals and the game went into halftime with Hawai`i leading 28-25. Jackson and Mason led UH in the first half scoring eight points apiece. Jackson also had a team-high nine rebounds going into the break.
 
In the second half, the 'Bows started to pull away as their baskets finally started to fall. Hawai`i pounded inside the paint, outscoring UCR 28-to-4 in the second half alone. UH started the second period with back-to-back baskets by Shawna-Lei Kuehu. Destiny King and Mason both drove in for layups and Mason hit a free throw after being fouled to give UH a 10 point lead, 37-27 with 15:43 left in the game. The 'Bows would hold their double digit lead for about the last 10 minutes of the half against the short-handed Highlanders.
 
Hawai`i out-rebounded the Highlanders, 42-to-27 and outscored UCR in the paint, 36-to-14. The Rainbow Wahine also outscored their counterparts 12-to-4 in second chance points and in points off the bench 19-to-3. The Highlanders however outscored UH, 16-to-8 in points off of turnovers. After struggling shooting below 30% midway through the first half, UH raised their field-goal percentage to end the first half shooting 38.1%. For the game, UH shot 43.4 (23-for-53).
 
The Rainbow Wahine remain at home for a key match-up against Cal State Fullerton who is a half-game behind the 'Bows at 5-4 in conference. The two teams square off on Saturday, Feb. 15 at 5:00 p.m.