On a night dubbed "Beeman's Bigger Bash", the University of Hawaii women's basketball team clinched a season-high seventh consecutive win. According to the Star-Advertiser, the Rainbow Wahine’s 46-42 victory over UC Irvine on Saturday propelled them into a three-way tie for first place in the Big West Conference. The dramatic game, set in SimpliFi Arena at the Stan Sheriff Center, saw Lily Wahinekapu scoring a team-high 13 points, making critical free throws in the final 30 seconds.
Despite the attempt to break the program's all-time attendance record, the turnout was a significant 2,978, with an actual 3,695 tickets issued, but the fans who showed up brought enough energy to reminisce an NCAA Tournament game atmosphere, said point guard Lily Wahinekapu, Spectrum Local News reports. The crowd was particularly lively in the fourth quarter, where, despite their numbers falling well short of the nearly 6,200 record attendance, their intensity filled the arena.
The Rainbow Wahine's strong defensive performance was highlighted by Wahinekapu's two steals, coupled with Ritorya Tamilo's 11 points and 11 rebounds, culminating in her first double-double. According to the Star-Advertiser, Tamilo also delivered three blocks, with a notably crucial one against UC Irvine’s Nikki Tom, thwarting a potential game-tying 3-pointer with just 3.8 seconds left on the clock.
Coach Laura Beeman expressed her gratitude to the supporters post-game for their role in the team's come-from-behind victory, having rallied from an eight-point deficit in the third quarter. UC Irvine, who shares the 13-6 overall and 7-2 conference record with the Rainbow Wahine, struggled offensively and were held without a field goal for the first 9:17 of the fourth quarter said, Spectrum Local News. Coming up next for Hawaii is a road trip, as they set off to face UC San Diego and Cal State Fullerton in the following week. The Rainbow Wahine's tight grip on defense, managing to restrict UC Irvine to a mere 24.2% shooting accuracy, could be the key to their success as they head into these crucial matchups.
