HONOLULU — The University of Hawai'i women's basketball team rings in 2026 by taking on UC Riverside in a Big West matchup on New Year's Day at Bankoh Arena at Stan Sheriff Center.
The meeting with the Highlanders opens a two-game homestand as the Rainbow Wahine return to conference play following an 11-day holiday break since playing in the Maui Classic on Dec. 19 and 20 in Makawao. They'll close out the weekend with a matchup against UC San Diego on Jan. 3.
| GAME 13: HAWAI'I RAINBOW WAHINE (6-6, 0-2 BIG WEST) vs. UC RIVERSIDE HIGHLANDERS (3-9, 1-1 BIG WEST) |
| Date | Time |
Thursday, Jan. 1, 2026 | 7:00 p.m. HT |
| Location |
Bankoh Arena at Stan Sheriff Center |
| Television |
Spectrum Sports - Ch. 12 [SD] and 1012 [HD] |
| Live Stream |
ESPN+ (Blacked out in Hawai'i) |
| Radio |
ESPN Honolulu |
| Live Stats |
HawaiiAthletics.com |
| Tickets |
etickethawaii.com |
| Game Notes |
Hawai'i | UC Riverside |
| Promotions |
• Ring in the New Year with Rainbow Wahine basketball as all keiki 18 and under receive free admission to every game during the 2025-2026 season.
• On Thursday, we celebrate 2026 with everyone in attendance with a host of fun activities you can only experience with Rainbow Wahine basketball. Kiavah Stephens from Hanalani School will join us before the game to perform the national anthem and Hawai'i Pono'i. |
HEAD COACH LAURA BEEMANAt Hawai'i: 228-175 (14th season)
SERIES RECORD vs. UC RIVERSIDESeries Record: UH leads 18-8
Streak: UCR won 1
Last Meeting: UCR 61-51; Feb. 27, 2025; Riverside, Calif.
'BOWS NOTES
- UH enters the week at 6-6 overall and 0-2 in Big West play. The 'Bows opened their final season in the conference with road losses to UC Davis and Cal State Fullerton on Dec. 4 and 6 as part of the Big West's "Bold Week."
- UH earned a split in Maui Classic with a win over Liberty on Dec. 19 and a loss to Montana State on Dec. 20 at Seabury Hall in Makawao.
- UH will play on New Year's Day for the fifth time in progran history and the first time since 2005 when the 'Bows defeated Nevada 71-43 in a Western Athletic Conference contest.
- UH is 19-1 in Big West home games over the last two seasons. The 'Bows won their last nine conference games in Mānoa last season.
- Freshman guard Bailey Flavell continues to lead the 'Bows with 13.4 points per game. She's scored in double figures in nine games and scored nine in the other three. She also leads the team with 17 3-pointers.
- Freshman Keiara Curtis is tied for second on the team with 6.8 points per game and was named to the Maui Classic All-Tournament team after averaging 13.5 points in two games on the Valley Isle.
- Senior forward Imani Perez leads the team with 6.2 rebounds per game and 19 blocked shots. She enters the week eighth in program history with 98 career blocks.
- As a team, UH leads the Big West and entered the week ranked 17th nationally with 5.6 blocks per game. UH blocked 14 shots at Cal State Fullerton on Dec. 6 to tie the program's single-game record previously set in 2005.
- With Flavell leading the way, UH's eight newcomers account for 62.1% of the team's point total this season. The 'Bows' six true freshmen have contributed 48.3% of their scoring.
- UH hit a season-high 13 3-pointers in the win over Liberty in the Maui Classic, the 'Bows' highest total since making 17 at CSU Bakersfield on March 9, 2024.
- Junior guard Jovi Lefotu returned to the rotation after her recovery from a knee injury and has started the last three games.
- Sophomore Ritorya Tamilo has started the last three games leads the team with a .523 shooting percentage.
THE MATCHUP
- Hawai'i and UC Riverside meet for the 27th time in a series that began in 2009.
- UH leads 9-3 in games played in Honolulu. The 'Bows have won the last five meetings at home. UCR last won in Hawai'i on Jan. 30, 2019.
- UH and UCR split their season series the last two seasons, with each team protecting its home court.
- Brad Langston is in his third year as UCR's head coach and has a record of 38-38. He served as an assistant coach at Hawai'i for one season (2016-17) and is in his sixth season on the Highlanders' coaching staff overall.
- UCR opened the Big West season at 1-1 with a loss to UC Irvine and a win over Cal Poly in Bold Week.
- Sophomore guard Hannah Wickstrom moved up to second in the Big West in scoring with a 30-point performance in a 93-52 win over UC Merced on Tuesday. Wickstrom averages a team-high 19.1 points per game.
- Wickstrom also leads UCR with 7.0 rebounds per game and has two double-doubles.
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