IRVINE, Calif. — A career night for University of Hawai'i sophomore Imani Perez helped power the Rainbow Wahine basketball team to a 56-49 win over UC Irvine on Thursday at the Bren Events Center in Irvine, Calif.
 
Perez poured in a career-high 17 points on 7-for-7 shooting from the field, including a career-best three 3-pointers, and Big West-leading UH (7-6) improved to 4-0 in conference play for the first time since the 1997-98 season.
 
UH junior MeiLani McBee scored all of her 12 points in the second half and also drained three 3-pointers to move into fifth in program history with 129 for her career. Guard Lily Wahinekapu added 10 points in her third straight game in double figures and finished with four assists, five rebounds and two steals.
 
In a duel of the Big West's top two defenses, the Rainbow Wahine allowed fewer than 50 points for the fourth straight game while limiting UC Irvine (9-6, 3-2) to 33.3% shooting from the field overall and a 3-for-24 performance from 3-point range.
 
UH also won the rebounding battle for the fourth straight game, 38-36, with Perez and Brooklyn Rewers grabbing nine boards each and the Rainbow Wahine handed the Anteaters their first loss at home this season.
 
The Rainbow Wahine moved above .500 overall for the first time this season and last started a league season 4-0 as a member of the Western Athletic Conference.
 
UC Irvine pulled out two overtime wins over UH last season on its way to the Big West regular-season title and the Anteaters clawed their way to a 14-9 lead in the first quarter on Thursday thanks in large part to six steals contributing to seven points off of turnovers.
 
After going 3-for-10 from the field in the first quarter, the Rainbow Wahine hit four of their first five shots of the second period and took a 17-16 lead on Kelsie Imai's driving layup.

UH held UCI to 2-for-13 shooting while outscoring the Anteaters 11-4 in the second quarter and carried a 20-18 edge into halftime.
 
Perez opened the third quarter with a 3-pointer to ignite a 9-2 UH run. UC Irvine closed the gap to 32-30 before McBee hit two free throws for her first two points of the game. She drilled a 3-pointer from the left corner then hit another from the right side while drawing a foul and converted the four-point play to stretch the UH lead to 41-32.
 
UH opened up its widest margin of the game at 45-34 when Perez scored in the post with 9:22 left in regulation and led by at least six the rest of the way. McBee hit her third 3-pointer of the game to give UH a 54-43 lead with 3:37 left and moved past Nani Cockett (1994, '96-98) on UH's career chart for 3-point field goals made.

UC Irvine guard Deja Lee led the Anteaters with 15 points and nine assists and had five of UCI's 14 steals. Guard Diaba Konate added 12 points and three steals. UH committed 12 turnovers in the first half and six in the second.
 
The Rainbow Wahine close the road trip on Saturday at UC Riverside. The Highlanders (7-8, 2-3) picked up a 64-53 road win over Cal Poly on Thursday. Tipoff is scheduled for 6 p.m. Pacific/4 p.m. Hawai'i Time at SRC Arena in Riverside, Calif.