BAKERSFIELD, Calif. — Freshman
Bailey Flavell's first career double-double helped the University of Hawai'i women's basketball team fend off CSU Bakersfield in a 64-52 win on Thursday at the Icardo Center in Bakersfield, Calif.
The Rainbow Wahine (9-9, 3-5 Big West) opened up a 27-point lead in the third quarter before the host Roadrunners surged back to close to within seven late in the fourth. UH held CSUB (6-13, 1-8) scoreless over the final 1:56 and extended the lead from the free-throw line to finish off its third straight victory and first road win of the season.
Flavell matched her season high with 22 points on 7-for-16 shooting from the field and a 7-for-8 performance from the free-throw line. She snagged her season-best 10
th rebound of the game with eight seconds left to secure UH's second double-double of the season.
Fellow freshman
Keiara Curtis extended her streak of double-digit scoring performances with 13 points on 4-for-7 shooting and set her season high with nine rebounds. She also tied her season high with four assists. Senior
Saniyah Neverson also threatened a double-double with nine rebounds and eight assists.
Points were tough to come by early on with UH taking a 10-7 lead through the first 10 minutes. Flavell scored four early points and UH led 10-3 when
Rebecca Moors banked in a 3-pointer.
CSUB hit two 3-pointers to take a 16-14 lead in the second quarter, but Flavell scored the game's next seven points to push UH back ahead. UH led 29-22 at halftime and opened the third quarter with a 13-0 surge capped by a Curtis 3-pointer. UH continued to pull away and Curtis drained another from long range to extend the margin to 54-27 at the 2:41 mark of the period.
CSUB scored the final nine points of the quarter and extended the run to 14-0 early in the fourth to close to 54-41. Perez ended the run with a 3-pointer and Neverson scored in the paint to give UH a 59-44 lead with 6:49 left. That would be UH's last field goal of the game as CSUB chipped away and closed to 59-52 on two free throws at the 1:56 mark. But Curtis and Flavell combined to make five free throws down the stretch finish off UH's 12
th straight win in the series with the Roadrunners.
The Rainbow Wahine continue their road trip on Saturday when they face CSUN at Premier America Credit Union Arena in Northridge, Calif.. Tipoff is set for 1 p.m. Pacific Time (11 a.m. Hawai'i Time).
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