HONOLULU — The University of Hawai'i women's basketball team opens its second Big West road trip of the season with a showdown with UC Irvine on Thursday, Jan. 11 at the Bren Events Center in Irvine, Calif. Tipoff is scheduled for 6 p.m. Pacific Time/4 p.m. Hawai'i Time.
Thursday's matchup features the reigning Big West regular-season and tournament champions. UC Irvine swept the regular-season series with UH last season, winning both games in overtime. The Anteaters pulled out a 71-67 win in Honolulu on Jan. 19, 2023 and won the rematch in Irvine 68-66 on Feb. 25, 2023. The Anteaters went to claim the conference regular-season title at 16-2 in Big West play. UH placed third in the regular season then captured a second straight Big West Championship crown and the automatic berth to the NCAA Tournament.
| GAME 13: HAWAI'I RAINBOW WAHINE (6-6, 3-0 BIG WEST) AT UC IRVINE ANTEATERS (9-5, 3-1 BIG WEST) |
| Date | Time |
Thursday, Jan. 11, 2024; 6:00 p.m. Pacific Time / 4:00 p.m. Hawai'i Time |
| Location |
Irvine, Calif. — Bren Events Center (capacity 5,000) |
| Television |
None |
| Live Stream |
ESPN+ |
| Radio |
None |
| Live Stats |
ucirvinesports.com |
| Game Notes |
Hawai'i | UC Irvine | Big West |
HEAD COACH LAURA BEEMANAt Hawai'i: 186-154 (12th season)
ALL-TIME SERIES RECORDHawai'i leads 35-15
Last meeting — UC Irvine 68-66 (OT); Feb. 25, 2023; Irvine, Calif.
TIPOFF
• UH is off to its first 3-0 conference start since the 2001-02 season as a member of the Western Athletic Conference. UH last started 3-0 as a Big West member in the 1995-96 season when the 'Bows went 12-0 before their first conference loss.
• UH is seeking its first 4-0 conference start since the 1997-98 season when the Rainbow Wahine went 13-1 in the WAC.
• UH is the lone undefeated team in Big West play and held its first three conference opponents to an average of 43.3 points per game.
• The Rainbow Wahine swept their first Big West homestand last week with a 67-43 win over Cal State Bakersfield and a 67-38 rout of CSUN.
• UC Irvine and UH top the Big West in overall scoring defense. The Anteaters allow an average of 55.6 points per game followed by the Rainbow Wahine at 55.8.
• In Big West games only, UC Irvine and UH are 1-2 in the conference in scoring offense and scoring defense. UCI scores an average of 65.8 points per game, followed by UH at 64.3. The Rainbow Wahine have allowed an average of 43.3 points in three Big West games while UC Irvine's four conference opponents averaged 51.0.
• UH opponents are shooting 35.7% on field-goal attempts overall, the lowest mark in the Big West and 30th in NCAA Division I.
• UH has held opponents to 24.5% shooting on 3-point attempts, which ranks first in the conference and 12th among 348 Division I teams.
• The 67-38 win over CSUN marked the fifth time this season that UH held an opponent under 50 points.
• UH allowed fewer than 50 points in three consecutive games for the first time since the 2014-15 season (Feb. 26-March 7).
• Excluding road losses to No. 2 UCLA and No. 8 Stanford, UH's other 10 opponents this season have averaged 49.8 points per game against the 'Bows.
• UH has held an opponent to single-digit scoring in 12 quarters this season with a low of two points allowed in the third quarter against CSUN on Jan. 6. The previous low was three points allowed in the third quarter against Idaho on Nov. 19.
• UH concludes the road trip at UC Riverside on Saturday. The Rainbow Wahine will face the Highlanders at 6 p.m. Pacific Time / 4 p.m. Hawai'i Time at UCR's SRC Arena.
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