HONOLULU — The University of Hawai'i women's basketball team takes on UC Santa Barbara on Saturday, Jan. 17 at Bankoh Arena at Stan Sheriff Center to close out a two-game homestand. Tipoff for the matchup between the Rainbow Wahine and Gauchos is set for 7 p.m.
 
The 'Bows opened the week with a commanding 86-46 win over Cal Poly on Thursday to earn their first Big West win of the season. Four 'Bows scored in double figures led by Bailey Flavell's 22-point performance, matching her season high, on 8-for-10 shooting from the field and 5-for-5 from the free-throw line. UC Santa Barbara enters the game tied for third in the conference standings, a game behind co-leaders UC Irvine and UC San Diego. 
 

GAME 17: HAWAI'I RAINBOW WAHINE (7-9, 1-5 BIG WEST) vs. UC SANTA BARBARA GAUCHOS (13-2, 5-1 BIG WEST)
Date | Time				Saturday, Jan. 17, 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 Santa Barbara
Promotions				Saturday's matchup with UC Santa Barbara will be sponsored by Raising Canes. • Make sure to register for "Tell Terry V" as Raising Canes will have a fun prize for the game's lucky seat.  • There won't be one t-shirt toss, but two, as fans will have the chance to walk away with shirts from Raising Cane's or California Hotel & Casino. • We'll celebrate International Mind-Body Wellness Day as members of the Rainbow Wahine team will share the importance of mental health and how it helps them perform at their best.  • Kelly Hee from Rainbow Wellness will be recognized as the Director of Mental Health Care Services/Counseling for UH Athletics.  • Sophia Nene, the 2023 V2K Productions Queen and a senior from Campbell High School will join us to perform the national anthem and Hawai'i Pono'i.

  UH HEAD COACH LAURA BEEMANAt Hawai'i: 229-178 (14th season)

'BOWS NOTES

• Freshman guard Bailey Flavell continues to lead the 'Bows with 13.9 points per game. She's scored in double figures in 13 games, including the last six in a row. She also leads the team with 23 3-pointers. 
• Guard Keiara Curtis has also scored in double digits in each of the last six games and is averaging 11.2 points per game in Big West play.
• Senior forward Imani Perez leads the Big West and ranks 25th nationally with 2.0 blocked shots per game. She ranks second in the conference with 30 total blocks this season. She posted three against Cal Poly on Thursday to move into seventh in program history with 109 career blocks. She also leads the team with 6.4 rebounds per game.
• As a team, UH leads the Big West with 6.06 blocks per game. UH rate of blocked shots is ahead of the program record of 5.6 set in the 2004-05 season.
• With Flavell and Curtis leading the way, UH's six true freshmen have contributed 50.1% of the team's scoring total.
• Senior forward Saniyah Neverson is shooting 63.4% from the field in Big West contests to lead the conference. 
• UH's five turnovers against Cal Poly on Thursday were the fewest in a game since the 'Bows tied the program record with four against CSUN on March 8, 2017.
• UH leads the Big West and moved up to 13th in the nation with 29.3 bench points per game.
• This season marks UH's farewell campaign in the Big West before joining the Mountain West starting with the 2026-27 season.
• UH is 20-3 in Big West home games over the last three seasons. 

THE MATCHUP

Series Record vs. UC Santa Barbara: UH leads 36-22
Streak: UH won 1
Last Meeting: UH 65-58; Feb. 8, 2025; Honolulu

• The Rainbow Wahine and Gauchos meet for the 59th time in a series that began on Jan. 4, 1981, a 55-49 UCSB win in Chico, Calif.
• The 'Bows and Gauchos are 6-6 in their last 12 meetings since the 2021 season. The home team has won the last nine regular-season meetings.
• UH is 22-6 against the Gauchos in Honolulu. UCSB last won in Mānoa on March 4, 2020 (57-56).
• Renee Jimenez is in her second season as UCSB head coach and has a record of 31-15. She has an overall record of 301-166 over 17 seasons including stops at Cal State Monterey Bay, Cal State San Bernardino and Cal State San Marcos.
• UCSB opened the week with an 82-67 win against CSU Bakersfield on Thursday in Santa Barbara before making the trip to Honolulu. Olivia Bradley led the Gauchos with 27 points on 11-for-14 shooting.
• In UCSB's last trip to Hawai'i, the Rainbow Wahine erased 19-point deficit in a 65-58 win. The margin was the largest deficit overcome in a win in program history.
• UCSB leads the Big West and ranks seventh in the nation in 3-point percentage at 38%. The Gauchos also lead the conference in field-goal percentage at 45.1% and 3-pointers made per game (9.4).
• The Gauchos lead the nation in 3-point percentage defense in holding opponents to 22.1% shooting beyond the arc.
• UCSB's Jessica Grant and Zoe Shaw rank first and second in the Big West in 3-point percentage. Grant is shooting 48.8% beyond the arc with Shaw at 42.9%. Grant is second in the conference with 2.7 3-pointers per game.

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