HONOLULU — The University of Hawai'i women's basketball team opens 2025 with a two-game Big West road trip starting Thursday, Jan. 2 at UC Santa Barbara. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. Pacific Time (5 p.m. Hawai'i Time) at The Thunderdome in Santa Barbara, Calif.

The Rainbow Wahine (6-5, 0-1 Big West) return to action following an 11-day break over the holidays and will cap the road trip by taking on Cal Poly on Saturday, Jan. 4 in San Luis Obispo, Calif. The game at the Mott Athletics Center will be televised on Spectrum SportsNet.
 

GAME 12: HAWAI'I  (6-5, 0-1 BIG WEST) AT UC SANTA BARBARA (7-5, 1-1 BIG WEST)
Date | Time				Thursday, Jan. 2, 2024  |  7:00 p.m. PT (5:00 p.m. HT)
Location				Santa Barbara, Calif. — The Thunderdome
Television				None
Live Stream				ESPN+
Radio				None
Live Stats				ucsbgauchos.com
Game Notes				Hawai'i | UC Santa Barbara

  HEAD COACH LAURA BEEMANAt Hawai'i: 206-164 (13th season)

ALL-TIME SERIES RECORDUH leads 35-21
Last meeting: UH, 68-64, Feb. 17, 2024, Honolulu

TIPOFF

• Prior to the holiday break, the 'Bows went 0-2 in the San Diego Classic, falling to Clemson, 72-58, on Dec. 20 and tournament host San Diego State, 54-52, on Dec. 21.
• The 'Bows went 6-4 against nonconference competition, posting their highest nonconference winning percentage since going 8-5 (.615) to open the 2014-15 season.
• The 'Bows opened the Big West schedule on Dec. 7 with a 73-69 loss in overtime to Long Beach State during the conference's "Bold Week."
• The 'Bows are 1-2 in true road games this season and 1-3 overall away from Manoa. They went 7-3 in Big West road games last season on their way to capturing the Big West regular-season title.
• Senior guard Lily Wahinekapu leads the team with 10.2 points per game followed by freshman center Ritorya Tamilo at 9.6 ppg.
• The 'Bows enter the week ranked ninth nationally in blocks per game (6.2), 20^th in field-goal percentage defense (34.8%), and 37^th in scoring defense (55.9 points per game). They lead the Big West in each of those categories.
• Three UH players rank in the top 10 in the Big West in blocks per game — Ritorya Tamilo (third, 1.90 bpg), Brooklyn Rewers (seventh, 1.27), Imani Perez (ninth, 1.00).
• Tamilo leads the 'Bows on the boards with 5.2 rebounds per game followed by Rewers at 4.6 and Wahinekapu with 4.5.

 
THE MATCHUP

• Hawai'i and UC Santa Barbara meet for the 57^th time in Thursday's game.
• Renee Jimenez is in her first season as UCSB head coach. She was previously the head coach at Cal State San Marcos for eight seasons.
• UH and UCSB are 5-5 over the last 10 meetings and split last season's series with both teams winning at home.
• UH is 13-13 all-time on the road against the Gauchos and dropped the last four matchups in Santa Barbara.
• UH last won at The Thunderdome on Feb. 12, 2021 (72-62).
• UCSB enters 2025 at 7-5 overall and 1-1 in Big West play with a road win over UC San Diego and a home loss to UC Davis in Bold Week on Dec. 5 and 7.
• UH and UCSB both faced Eastern Washington in nonconference play. UH defeated the Eagles 67-55 on Nov. 24 at home. UCSB is coming off a 54-46 loss at on Dec. 20.
• UCSB ranks second in the Big West in scoring offense at 66.8 points per game and second in scoring margin at 5.4 ppg.
• UCSB guard Alyssa Marin enters the week as the Big West's scoring leader at 17.3 points per game. She scored a season-high 31 points against Nevada (Nov. 14) and San Jose State (Nov. 17).
• Center Laurel Rockwood leads the Gauchos with 6.8 rebounds per game.
• Guard Jessica Grant leads UCSB with 25 3-pointers and is shooting 41% beyond the arc.

#HawaiiWBB