LAS VEGAS, Nev. - The University of Hawai'i women's basketball team was handed a 73-48 loss by undefeated Utah at Cox Pavilion on Friday in the championship game of the Rebel bracket in the Duel in the Desert.
 
The loss, which was the first for the Rainbow Wahine since a Nov. 25 defeat at the hands of Stanford, dropped UH to 4-8 on the year. The Utes improved to 11-0 heading into Pac-12 play.
 
UH could not overcome the hot shooting of Utah, which finished 25-of-53 (47.2 percent) from the field including 8-of-20 (40.0 percent) from three-point range. After a back-and-forth first half where UH trailed 29-25 at the break, the Utes distanced themselves by outscoring the 'Bows 32-11 in the third quarter to pull away.
 
Utah had the better of the play in the early going, sprinting out to an 11-3 lead just over six minutes into the game.
 
Hawai'i quickly responded with a 9-0 run capped by a three from Lahni Salanoa to give the 'Bows their first lead of the game at 12-11 with 1:35 left in the first quarter.
 
Trailing by six in the second quarter, Courtney Middap and Lauren Rewers finished layups on back-to-back possessions to pull the 'Bows within two at 27-25. Utah took a four-point edge into the locker rooms at halftime.
 
A 17-4 run by the Utes to open the third quarter helped push the gap to double digits as Utah would go on to take a 61-36 advantage through 30 minutes of play.
 
Hawai'i scored the first six points of the fourth to put the score at 61-42, but that was as close as the 'Bows would get the rest of the way.
 
Salanoa led the offense with 14 points on 5-of-10 shooting to go with nine points apiece from Tia Kanoa and Myrrah Joseph. Makenna Woodfolk, who posted 19 points and nine boards in UH's Dec. 19 overtime win over UNLV, added two points and six rebounds on Friday to earn All-Tournament Team honors.
 
Daneesha Provo tallied a game-high 20 points for Utah, which held a 40-27 rebounding edge on the day.
 
UH falls to 0-6 in the all-time series versus Utah.
 
The 'Bows are back in action on Dec. 29 for a road test at Nevada to wrap up non-conference play.
 
All-Tournament Team
MVP - Megan Huff, Utah
Daneesha Provo, Utah
Nikki Wheatley, UNLV
Zada Williams, Florida
Makenna Woodfolk, Hawai'i