LA JOLLA, Calif. — A hot start against the Big West leader faded and the University of Hawai'i women's basketball team saw its six-game winning streak end with a 59-46 loss to UC San Diego on Saturday at LionTree Arena in La Jolla, Calif.
 
After jumping out to a 20-13 to end the first quarter, the Rainbow Wahine (12-10, 6-6 Big West) were held to 11 points in the second and third quarters and the host Tritons (17-6, 12-1) maintained control in the fourth to remain alone atop the conference standings.
 
UH shot 8-for-12 from the field with three 3-pointers in the first 10 minutes before cooling off to finish at 38% for the game and lost for the first time since falling at UC Irvine on Jan. 10.
 
UH freshman Bailey Flavell led UH in scoring for the 13^th time this season with 18 points on 7-for-15 shooting, including two 3-pointers. Senior Saniyah Neverson added nine points, eight rebounds and three assists. Imani Perez and Ritorya Tamilo each blocked three shots and UH finished with nine blocks as a team.
 
UC San Diego guard Makayla Rose sparked the Tritons with a game-high 28 points, going 10 for 16 from the field and hitting all three of her attempts from 3-point range. Rose also came up with nine steals and UCSD built an 18-4 advantage in points off of turnovers.
 
UH took a 7-2 lead on a 3-pointer by Jade Peacock before UCSD went on a 9-0 run to move ahead. The 'Bows closed the period on a 13-2 surge with Flavell and Tamilo connecting from 3-point range.
 
UH missed its first eight attempts of the second as UCSD moved ahead with an 8-0 run. Flavell and Keiara Curtis hit mid-range jumpers to end the drought but the Tritons went on another eight-point run and took a 29-24 lead when Rose drained a 3-pointer at the buzzer.
 
UCSD went on a 9-0 run in the third quarter to open up a 38-27 lead midway through the period. UH trailed 40-31 going into the fourth quarter and twice closed to within eight in the final period, the first time on a Neverson 3-pointer and again at the 6:32 mark when Peacock converted a three-point play after scoring on a putback. But the Tritons answered on both occasions and kept a double-digit lead to finish off their third straight win in the series with UH.
 
The Rainbow Wahine return to Bankoh Arena at Stan Sheriff Center for their penultimate homestand of the season. UH faces CSU Bakersfield on Thursday, Feb. 12 and CSUN on Saturday, Feb. 14.