Box Score (PDF)

LONG BEACH, Calif. – The University of Hawai'i women's basketball team saw its season come to an end Wednesday night following a 71-64 loss to CSUN in the Big West Conference quarterfinals at the Walter Pyramid.
 
The defending Big West Tourney champion Rainbow Wahine finish the season with a 12-18 overall record and will miss the postseason for the first time in five seasons.
 
CSUN (18-13), the tourney's third-seed, used a dominating performance down low, outrebounding UH, 52-33, and outscoring the sixth-seeded Rainbow Wahine, 28-18, in the paint. Big West Player of the Year Channon Fluker finished with 39 points and 12 rebounds for the Matadors, who advance to Friday's semifinal round.
 
Briana Harris led Hawai'i with 11 points while Sarah Toeaina added 10. Olivia Crawford finished with eight points, three rebounds and six assists.
 
UH shot 38 percent from the field and committed a season-low four turnovers. CSUN, meanwhile, shot 40 percent from the field and hit 18-of-31 free throw attempts.
 
The Rainbow Wahine got off to a hot start, taking a 10-point lead into the second quarter after closing the first on a 13-1 run. The Matadors, however, responded in the second, holding Hawai'i without a bucket for a stretch of 5:30 after Toeaina hit a jumper to open the quarter. The 'Bows withstood a 7-0 CSUN run and still managed a 35-29 lead into halftime.
 
CSUN took advantage of another UH drought in the third quarter, scoring seven unanswered while Hawai'i went scoreless for 4:02 which put the Matadors ahead 43-39. The Rainbow Wahine scored four quick points to tie the game before going into the fourth quarter with a one-point deficit at 46-45.
 
The Big West Tournament shifts to Anaheim, Calif., for the semifinals (March 10) and championship game (March 11).