The Hawaii women's basketball team capped off their homestand with yet another victory, this time against UC Santa Barbara, crushing any doubts about their previous struggles with turnovers and showcasing a newfound tenacity that hints at a turning tide for the Rainbow Wahine. With a consistent performance echoing their triumph over Cal Poly, the team dismantled the Gauchos 67-50 last Saturday, led by stellar performances from Saniyah Neverson and Keiara Curtis who became the bedrock of the team's success in both halves of the game, according to details from Spectrum Sports.
Following a less than stellar season start, the Rainbow Wahine are now starting to align with their preseason expectations, averaging just eight turnovers in the recent wins, a significant drop from their previous average of 18.7 per game, and Laura Beeman, the team's head coach, is now angling for replicating their disciplined and focused play in upcoming road games despite the team's historic troubles away from home, "I think we’re getting there," Beeman told Spectrum Sports, expressing her desire to see the team's competition, intensity, and focus translate onto foreign courts but overall remaining proud of the team's growing adherence to game plans.
The recent victory was prominently shaped by Neverson, who chalked up 13 of her 15 points before halftime, and Curtis, the rising freshman, who racked up a season-high of 19 points, 8 rebounds, and 4 assists to keep the Gauchos at bay, continuing her seven-game streak of scoring in double figures, with details provided by Spectrum Sports. The coach's faith in 'Curty', a nickname bestowed upon Curtis by her teammates, seems well-placed as Beeman highlighted Curtis's evolution saying, “She’s starting to understand when she works hard, she can kind of do what she wants out here, and she’s got a tremendous feel for the game. She makes her teammates look better, so it’s a good combination for us.”
The effort was collective with key contributions from the bench as Kyra Webb put in nine points and Imani Perez added six points and a significant defensive presence with seven rebounds and three blocks, UH once again confirming their rank as a top-10 nationally recognized team in blocks per game, even as their leading scorer Bailey Flavell had an off night with a season-low four points, as noted by KHON2. Despite the absence of guard Jovi Lefotu due to chronic knee issues, which had no impact on the outcome, the team held strong and will now set their sights on road games, against Cal State Bakersfield and Cal State Northridge, extending this newfound momentum beyond their home court's confines.
