HENDERSON, Nev. — The University of Hawai'i women's basketball team pulled off its second straight overtime win in the 2026 Credit Union 1 Big West Basketball Championship  with a dramatic 67-63 semifinal victory over top-seeded UC Irvine Friday afternoon at Lee's Family Forum.  
 
With the win, the Rainbow Wahine earned their ninth overall berth into the Big West championship game and first since winning back-to-back titles in 2022 and '23. UH will take on No. 2 UC San Diego on Saturday at 3 p.m. Pacific (noon Hawai'i time) with a chance to hoist a trophy in its final Big West game.

Bailey Flavell, the Big West Freshman of the Year, scored a team-high 13 points, including a deep three-pointer with 7.7 seconds left to send the game into an extra frame. The New Zealand native then scored four of UH's final five points in overtime, including a jumper with 1:26 left that put the 'Bows up for good.  

Flavell's heroics offset UC Irvine's Hunter Hernandez prolific performance. The Big West Player of the Year led the Anteaters with 33 points, but it wasn't enough as UCI (26-6) fell to UH for the second straight time this year. 

The fourth-seeded Rainbow Wahine (22-10) continue their red hot streak with their 10th straight win and 16th in the last 17 games. Like their overtime win versus Cal State Fullerton the day prior, the 'Bows closed the game out with stellar defense, holding the Anteaters scoreless for the final 3:26 of the game. 

UH also got a monster effort from its bench as reserves Teyahna Bond (9 points), Jovi Lefotu (9), Ritorya Tamilo (9) and Rebecca Moors combined for 31 points, nearly half the team's output.

It was nip and tuck for much of the first half. Saniyah Neverson's three-point play at the 3:10 mark gave UH a 29-27 lead. Hernandez answered right back with a three-pointer to give the Anteaters a 30-29 lead with 2:18 left. But UH ended the half on a 10-0 run with five points from Bond and another five from Tamilo, who hit her fourth three-pointer of the season, to take a 39-30 lead into the break. UH shot 50 percent from the floor in the first half, compared to UCI's 31 percent. Imani Perez, Bond and Tamilo went a collective 11 for 11 with five three-pointers in the first half.
 
Flavell's hit a three-pointer to start off the second half and UH maintained a 12-point lead and the momentum early in the third quarter. UCI wouldn't fold, running off 10 straight points to cut the deficit to 44-42 with 2:46 left, forcing a UH timeout. But that's when Lefotu took over. The junior guard  exploded for eight points in the final minute of the third quarter – highlighted by consecutive three pointers – to put UH back up by double-digits, 52-42, heading into the fourth quarter. 

Jovi Takeover!

The junior hits back-to-back 3s and scores the final 8 points of the third quarter.#GoBows #SISTAHHOOD pic.twitter.com/7y05OQFRJ0

— Hawai'i Women's Basketball (@HawaiiWBB) March 13, 2026

Again though the Anteaters responded, led by Hernandez. Her 10 points in the period fueled an 18-5 run that put UCI in position for the comeback win. Lauryn Madsen three-pointer at the 3:24 mark gave UCI its first lead since midway through the second quarter and Jada Wynn's layup extended the lead to 60-57 with just 13 seconds left. 

Enter Flavell who confidently launched a three-pointer from the left wing early in UH's next possession to knot things up with 7.7 seconds left. Hernandez had one last look for UC Irvine but her layup was off the mark as time expired in regulation. 

BIG. SHOT. BAILEY. 🤯#GoBows #SISTAHHOOD pic.twitter.com/gx9XMkZcC6

— Hawai'i Women's Basketball (@HawaiiWBB) March 13, 2026

Perez nailed a pair of free throws to open up overtime. UCI scored the next three points, including a Hernandez free throw with 3:26 left that gave the Anteaters a 63-62 lead. But that would be the last of UCI's scoring as the Anteaters missed five of their six field goal attempts in OT. Flavell's jumper gave UH the lead, 64-63, with 1:26 left and UH scored the game's final three points from the charity stripe, including a pair of free throws by Flavell 5.4 that essentially sealed the game.

UH ended the game shooting 42 percent from the field and 11-of-25 on three-pointers and were able to pull off the win despite going just 8-of-15 from the free throw line with five misses in overtime. The 'Bows held UCI to just 29 percent shooting.