HENDERSON, Nev.  – The  top-seeded University of Hawai'i women's basketball team opened the 2022 Hercules Tire Big West Championships with a hard-fought 48-47 quarterfinal win over No. 9 seed CSU Bakersfield Wednesday afternoon at The Dollar Loan Center. The Rainbow Wahine (18-9) now advance to the tournament semifinals where they will meet either No. 4 UC Riverside on Friday at 12:00 p.m. PT/10:00 a.m. HT.
 
UH extended its season-long win streak to six games will advancing to the Big West semifinals for the third straight time. It was UH's fourth win over CSU Bakersfield (4-20) this season and the second straight year the Rainbow Wahine defeated the Roadrunners in the tournament quarterfinals.
 
It didn't come easy though. UH led for the majority of the game, but found themselves trailing by five points with four minutes left. UH, however, closed the game on an 8-2 run and not until CSUB missed two shots in the final nine seconds, including Vanessa Austin's jump hook with four seconds, did Hawai'i escape with the victory.
 
Olivia Davies led the Rainbow Wahine with 11 points, including two big free throws in UH's stretch run. Las Vegas native Daejah Phillips finished with nine points and five rebounds and had the go-ahead basket with a driving layup with just over a minute to play. Big West Player of the Year Amy Atwell was held in check with just four points, but contributed six rebounds.
 
Jayden Eggleston led the Runners with a game-high 18 points.  
 
UH doubled up the Runners, 14-7, in the first quarter before taking a 24-19 lead into the locker room. The 'Bows held CSUB to just 21 percent shooting (5-of-24) in the first half, but couldn't gain as much separation due to 35 percent shooting on their part. 
 
The 'Bows built a nine-point lead in the third quarter and led 39-33 going into the fourth quarter. But that's when CSBU began its upset bid, out-scoring UH 12-1 to begin the final period and take a 45-40 lead with just under four minutes.  
 
 UH, however, didn't buckle, scoring eight of the final 10 points of the game and holding on to the victory on the final possession when they stopped CSUB twice.
 
Both teams struggled offensively as UH shot just 32 percent for the game,  CSUB finished at 30 percent. The 'Bows also won despite converting just 11-of-17 free throws on the day and scoring a season-low 48 points.