HENDERSON, Nev.-- The University of Hawai'i women's basketball team returns to the title game of the Hercules Tires Big West Basketball Championship on Saturday for the second time in as many years and for the fifth time in 11 seasons. Tipoff between the Rainbow Wahine and UC Santa Barbara is slated for 1 p.m. HT.

GM 32- BIG WEST FINALS | HAWAI'I (17-14, 13-7) VS. UC SANTA BARBARA (21-11, 12-7)
Date | Time				Saturday, March 11th, 2023, 1:00 p.m. HT
Location				Henderson, Nev. - Dollar Loan Center
Television				None
Live Stream				ESPN+
Radio				ESPN Honolulu
Tickets				Session 9
Live Stats				vs. UC Santa Barbara
Game Notes				Hawai'i | UC Santa Barbara
Social Media				@HawaiiWBB | #HawaiiWBB | @hawaiiwbb | Facebook
Bracket				Click Here

NEWS & NOTES

• The 'Bows are coming off wins against Cal State Fullerton and Long Beach State. The Titans pushed UH to the brink on Wednesday by going into overtime, where the 'Bows overcame the upset bid with an 82-75 victory, their first overtime win in four tries this season. At the same time, The Beach and the 'Bows participated in a rock fight through most of the game until the offense came alive for UH in the second half for the 67-62 win.
• Sophomore guards Lily Wahinekapu, Daejah Phillips and freshman post player Imani Perez come in as the hot hands for UH. All three have scored 10 or more points in consecutive games—Phillips at seven, Perez with six, and Wahinekapu at three.
• UH and UCSB split the season series, with each team winning games on their home floors. The 'Bows blew a 20-point lead at the Thunderdome on Jan. 26, falling 72-69. The return trip to Honolulu was the last game of the season, and UH prevailed on Mar. 4, 68-58.
• Turnovers have been an issue for UH all season, committing on average 15.5 per game. In the win against UCSB on Mar. 4, the 'Bows committed a season-low six while forcing 19 and scoring 20 points off the turnovers.
• UH, and UCSB has wrapped up the regular season together in back-to-back seasons. In 2022 UH beat the Gauchos 58-52 at home to claim the Big West regular season championship. In 2023, UH has a chance to win another title at the expense of UCSB.
• Since rejoining the Big West in 2012, UH and UCSB have yet to face each other in the tournament. Fun fact, the two programs were scheduled to play each other in the semifinals in 2020, but it was canceled due to the COVID-19 outbreak.

 
THE STANDARD BEARER
Saturday will mark the fifth appearance in the Big West Tournament Championship game since UH rejoined the conference in 2012. Marking the most appearances by any team during that period. All five appearances have been under head coach Laura Beeman, and in the four previous games, Beeman and the 'Bows are 2-2, winning a title last season as well in 2016. Last year was the first time in program history that UH won both the regular season and tournament titles. In 2023, history could happen again, as UH has never won back-to-back conference tournament championships as a member of the Big West or the Western Athletic Conference, and in terms of NCAA tournament appearances, UH and legendary Vince Goo pulled off that feat in 1989, and 1990 with at-large bids to the big dance.