IRVINE, Calif. — The University of Hawai'i women's basketball team protected the basket and its lead in the Big West race with a 49-44 win in Saturday's showdown with UC Irvine at the Bren Events Center in Irvine, Calif.
The Rainbow Wahine (19-6, 13-2 Big West) held the host Anteaters (16-8, 10-4) to 24.1% shooting overall — including a 1-for-9 showing in the fourth quarter — to extend their winning streak to 13 in the matchup of the top two teams in the conference standings.
UH senior
Kelsie Imai made her third start of the season and tied her career high 12 points, going 3 for 4 from the field and making all six of her free throws. She also contributed four rebounds, three assists and a steal to help the 'Bows finish off a sweep of their road trip.
Forward
Imani Perez added 10 points and five rebounds and center
Ritorya Tamilo finished with eight points and 10 rebounds and blocked two shots to break the program's freshman record with 34 this season. She surpassed the previous record held by Jeanne Wade since the 1983-84 season.
With the win, the 'Bows stretched their lead atop the Big West to 2½ games over second-place UC Irvine with five games remaining in the regular season.
UH shot 32% from the field and both teams managed just one made field goal in the fourth quarter. But UH went 10 for 10 from the free-throw line in the final 10 minutes and finished at 14 for 16 for the game while completing a sweep of the regular-season series with UC Irvine.
UH won the first meeting with UCI 46-42 on Jan. 25 at SimpliFi Arena at Stan Sheriff Center and the rematch again reflected the 'Bows' and Anteaters' standing as the Big West's top two teams in scoring defense. In two meetings with UCI this season, UH held the Anteaters to an average of 43 points on 24.2% shooting from the field.
UH committed eight turnovers in the first quarter of Saturday's game, but went 6 for 9 from the field with two 3-pointers to take a 16-8 lead after the first 10 minutes.
MeiLani McBee hit a corner 3-pointer and a jumper to pace the 'Bows offensively early on.
UC Irvine started 0 for 11 from 3-point range before Hunter Hernandez connected to cut UH's lead to 17-13. UH's shooting went cold in a 1-for-13 start to the period and UCI took the lead with a 9-0 run. Perez ended the run with a baseline jumper and Imai converted a steal into a layup to cut UCI's lead to 24-23 going into halftime.
The teams traded the lead in the third quarter and UH took a 34-31 lead only to see the Anteaters tie it again with a 3-pointer. A Tamilo free throw gave UH the lead back and freshman
Kira-May Filemu snagged an offensive rebound and tossed in the putback at the buzzer to send UH into the fourth quarter with a 37-34 edge.
UH opened up a 41-34 margin when Filemu hit a jumper to break the UCI press. Olivia Williams answered with a 3-pointer with 7:30 left for UCI's lone field goal of the fourth quarter, but Imai and
Jade Peacock combined to drop in four free throws to give UH a 45-37 lead with 5:15 left.
Two UCI steals led to two more Anteater free throws to cut the UH lead to five with 53 seconds remaining. But the UH defense allowed UCI to come no closer as the 'Bows ended UCI's eight-game home winning streak.
The Rainbow Wahine return home to face UC San Diego on Saturday, Feb. 22 at SimpliFi Arena at Stan Sheriff Center. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m.
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