HONOLULU — A tight battle slipped away from the University of Hawai'i women's basketball team in a 73-69 loss to Long Beach State in overtime to open Big West play on Saturday at SimpliFi Arena at Stan Sheriff Center.
 
The matchup between the Rainbow Wahine (5-3, 0-1) and the Beach (5-3, 2-0) featured 10 ties and 15 lead changes before Long Beach State moved ahead for the final time with a 3-pointer with 1:03 left in overtime and held off the 'Bows in the final minute.
 
Playing its earliest conference opener as part of the Big West's "Bold Week," UH entered the evening with a 13-game winning streak in Big West home games and dropped a conference game in Mānoa for the first time since Long Beach State pulled out a 48-47 win on Feb. 18, 2023.
 
Lily Wahinekapu hit four 3-pointers and led with Rainbow Wahine with 20 points, including all seven UH points in overtime. Freshman center Ritorya Tamilo added 14 points and nine rebounds and set a season high with six blocked shots. The 'Bows finished with 13 blocked shots as a team, one short of the program's single-game record set in 2005.
 
Jovi Lefotu sparked the 'Bows in the fourth quarter and finished with nine points. MeiLani McBee and Imani Perez each hit two 3-pointers to contribute eight points.
 
Wahinekapu's final 3-pointer gave UH a 66-64 lead with 2:57 left in overtime and she scored on a layup with 1:30 remaining to again give the 'Bows a 68-66 advantage.
 
But Patricia Chung's fourth 3-pointer gave the Beach the lead back with 1:03 left and Savannah Tucker hit four free throws in the final 24 seconds to help Long Beach State seal the win. Tucker 11-for-12 from the line and finished with a game-high 23 points. Chung did all of her score from beyond the 3-point arc to add 12 points.
 
Long Beach State finished with an 18-3 advantage in fast-break points and 38-28 in points in the paint.
 
The Rainbow Wahine resume nonconference play by facing Arkansas-Pine Bluff on Dec. 16 at SimpliFi Arena at Stan Sheriff Center in their final home game of 2024.