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HONOLULU – The Hawai'i women's basketball team cruised to an 84-63 exhibition victory over UH-Hilo in the Stan Sheriff Center on Wednesday night in their final tune-up before the regular season-opener at USC on Nov. 11.
 
Four Rainbow Wahine players scored in double-figures, including double-doubles from sophomore Lahni Salanoa and freshman Julissa Tago.
 
"Not bad when you have four people in double figures, I love the balance," fifth-year head coach Laura Beeman said.
 
Senior Briana Harris led all scorers with 17 points on 6-of-12 shooting, including 4-of-8 from 3, and added three rebounds, three assists and two steals. Salanoa had a 16-point, 11-rebounded double-double, with six of those boards coming on the offensive end, and Tago added 13 points, 10 boards and four steals in her collegiate debut.
 
"I was super nervous," Tago said of playing in her first collegiate game. "My teammates definitely helped me. They kept telling me 'you got it' and they definitely found me in spots where I was open. If it wasn't for them I really wouldn't have gotten some of the shots that I did."
 
Junior Sarah Toeaina overcame an off shooting night to finish with 16 points and eight rebounds, going 5-of-6 from the free throw line. Olivia Crawford finished with seven points and a team-high four assists, while freshman Taylor Donohue established a presence in the post, scoring eight points on 4-for-6 shooting and adding three rebounds and the game's only block. Leah Salanoa added seven points and five rebounds for the 'Bows.
 
After being out-worked on the glass in the first half, Hawai'i took a 23-10 rebounding advantage in the second half for a 43-32 edge in rebounding overall. The 'Bows shot 48.4 percent (31-of-64) from the field for the game, including 11-of-25 from 3-point range. Beeman, however, is hesitant to consider her squad a 3-point shooting team.
 
"We're not going to be a team that shoots the ball 25 times from three, that can't happen," Beeman said after the game. "We're not going to be a team that lives and dies (by the three). We can get to the basket. We can get some and-ones. We can do a better job with some mid-range jumpers. I do think we're a team that shoots the ball from outside much better than we ever have, and it will definitely be part of our offensive productivity, but I don't see us shooting 25 times from three every night."
 
Kim Schmelz led the Vulcans in scoring with 16 points on 7-of-14 shooting, while Asia Smith had 12 points and 10 rebounds. UH-Hilo shot 44.6 percent (25-of-56) for the game but just 26.7 percent (4-of-15) from long range.
 
The Rainbow Wahine face CSU Bakersfield on Nov. 13 after the season-opener at USC, and play their first regular-season home game on Nov. 18 against Youngstown State in the Bank of Hawai'i Classic.