Game Notes

NORTHRIDGE, Calif.--The University of Hawai'i women's basketball team (8-6, 0-1 BWC) looks to bounce back at CSUN after falling in their Big West opener on Thursday against Cal Poly, 70-65. CSUN (10-5, 0-1 BWC), the pre-season pick to finish first and defending Big West champions, will be just as hungry for a win after falling in their conference opener to UC Davis at home, 60-49.

In Hawai'i's most recent game at Cal Poly, the 'Bows battled with the Mustangs but were shorthanded without the services of Shawna-Lei Kuehu and Sarah Toeaina. For Kuehu--the team-leader in points (13.5) and rebounds (7.4)--it snapped a string of 77 straight appearances and 25 starts for the sixth year senior. Toeaina had also entered the starting lineup in the previous two games and had appeared in all of UH games prior to the Cal Poly game.

But in Kuehu and Toeaina's stead, the Rainbow Wahine squad stepped up to fill the void. Connie Morris and Ashleigh Karaitiana started in place of the two. Most notably, sophomore Briana Harris came off the bench to pour in a season-high 15 points with a career-high five made 3-pointers. As a team, UH sank a season-high eight treys to help keep things close with the Mustangs. Two other UH players--Destiny King and Morgan Mason--also scored in double figures with 11 and 10 points respectively. Ashleigh Karaitiana returned to the starting lineup after coming off the bench against UNC Greensboro to finish the game a point and a board short of a double-double. Megan Huff--UH's newest addition to the team--scored a career-high five points and blocked three shots in her first road game as a Rainbow Wahine basketball player.

Overall, Kuehu not only leads UH in points and rebounds, but in blocked shots (19), steals (tied with Karaitiana with 20), and field goals made (66). If she doesn't start again against CSUN, the 'Bows will miss her leadership on the court and all the intangibles she brings with her innate basketball IQ. Mason and Karaitiana are tied for second on the team averaging 10.9 points. Mason leads UH with 37 assists and is tied for second with 14 steals. Karaitiana comes into the CSUN game as the team-leader with 17 made 3-pointers. King is the lone Rainbow Wahine to have started all 14 games for UH this season. The junior "utility" player is averaging just a shade under 10 points with 9.2 per game and is second on the team with 6.2 rebounds.

CSUN MATADORS (10-5, 0-1 Big West)
CSUN goes into conference action with a 10-5 record overall. They are 6-1 at home after dropping their conference opener to UC Davis, 60-49. The Matadors are led by four strong seniors--guards Ashlee Guay, Cinnamon Lister, Janae Sharpe, and center Camille Mahlknecht. Guay is maintaining a team-high 15.6 points per game while dishing out 67 assists with 22 steals--both best on the team. Sharpe is close behind Guay, averaging 14.0 points per game and 5.3 rebounds with 50 assists and 18 steals. Lister is the third CSUN player in double-digits, averaging 11.9 points with a team-high 31 made 3-pointers in 80 attempts. The 6-2 Mahlknecht leads the leauge with an 8.1 rebounding average and 37 blocked shots. She is scoring 8.2 points per game and has a total of 117 rebounds.

Game 15
Who: Hawai'i (8-6, 0-1 Big West) at CSUN (10-5, 0-1 Big West)
When: Saturday, Jan. 10, 2015 at 4:00 p.m.
Where: The Matadome - Northridge, Calif.
Audio/Video Webcast and Livestats: Fans can link to an audio and video broadcast as well as live in-game stats at www.gomatadors.com.
Coaches: Hawai'i head coach Laura Beeman is in her third season and has led UH to back-to-back WNIT appearances. She has a 42-34 record at Hawai'i after recording a 390-110 record at the junior college level with Mt. San Antonio.Jason Flowers is 65-76 in his fifth season at CSUN.
Series History: UH leads the series over CSUN, 6-1. The Matadors were 0-6 before snapping that streak last season on Feb. 1 with a 75-72 overtime win in Northridge, Calif.