Despite dealing with a mix of injuries, illnesses, and an early tipoff, the Hawaii women's basketball team secured their first Big West victory of the season with a strong performance against Cal Poly. After a slow start, the Rainbow Wahine rallied in the second quarter and held on for a 62-50 win last Saturday, according to Spectrum News.
The game was held at Mott Athletics Center, where the UH team ended a three-game losing streak. They were without key players, including starting forward Imani Perez and backup guards Kelsie Imai and Danijela Kujovic, but welcomed back guard Jovi Lefotu after a three-game absence. The game started at 1 p.m., adding an additional challenge.
In terms of individual performances, guard Lily Wahinekapu and wing MeiLani McBee each scored 14 points, while center Brooklyn Rewers added 11 points off the bench. Guard Mia ‘Uhila also contributed crucial points in the final stretch, according to KHON2. The Rainbow Wahine led in rebounds with a 41-31 advantage and recorded 5 blocks, compared to the Mustangs' 1 block.
While ball management in the paint showed mixed results and identified areas for improvement, Coach Beeman expressed confidence in the abilities of their post players. "We need to work on patience and understanding double teams and rotations," Beeman highlighted. "We have not had bigs before like we have (this year). So we’re trying to get the ball inside. It’s messed with our chemistry and continuity a little bit, but we know we have the best post players in the conference. We gotta utilize ‘em," she elucidated in her statement obtained by Spectrum News. The Rainbow Wahine are set to carry this momentum into their upcoming home games against UC Riverside and Cal State Fullerton, aiming to strengthen their position in the conference.
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