Undersized and undermanned, the Hawaii women’s basketball team continues to take early-season lumps.

California punished the Rainbow Wahine in the paint, among other areas, in a 69-54 decision on the first day of the Waikiki Beach Marriott Rainbow Wahine Showdown at the Stan Sheriff Center.

A crowd of 895 saw the bigger Golden Bears (3-1) go on a 15-4 run to start the second half, after which UH (1-4) would get no closer than 13.

UH has yet to beat a Division I opponent this season, and faces ranked teams in Virginia and Texas over the next two days.

"I think whenever you have a chance to play the best competition, you have the opportunity to get better with every game," UH coach Dana Takahara-Dias said.

"Right now we are just trying very hard to remember that we take one game at a time. Tomorrow we go back to the drawing board."

Cal, a team that’s receiving votes in the women’s top 25 poll, outrebounded UH 39-23 and outscored the hosts in the paint 38-20.

The Golden Bears also had 17 assists to UH’s five.

Top scorer and rebounder Kamilah Jackson — coming into the game with averages of 15 points and 10 rebounds — was held to 10 and five, but senior forward Breanna Arbuckle stepped up with 16 points on 7-for-9 shooting and six rebounds.

"We’ve got to improve every game. It’s not going to get any easier," Arbuckle said. "(These games) are just going to help us for the WAC tournament."

It’s still a waiting game for UH before it gets two players expected to contribute in the post: USC transfer Vicky Tagalicod, who will be available on Dec. 18, and Molokai graduate Kalei Adolpho, who will join the team once UH volleyball season ends.

Sophomore wing Shawna Kuehu, coming off limited action last weekend due to injury, scored eight points on 2-for-9 shooting against the team she originally committed to out of Punahou. But just as UH essentially gained a player, it lost another.

Backup point guard Jasmine Ray served a suspension for violating team rules, putting the ball-handling onus almost completely on starter Alissa Campanero.

Cal took advantage, using fullcourt pressure to force eight turnovers on the true freshman and 21 on UH overall. Cal point guard Brittany Boyd had 12 points, seven assists and five steals in the win.

Takahara-Dias said Ray might be back by the end of the tournament.

The Golden Bears steadily pulled away at the end of the first half, earning a 37-26 lead when Lindsay Sherbert hit a 24-foot 3-pointer as the period expired.

UH continues the tournament against No. 22 Virginia (4-1) today at 2 p.m. The Cavaliers took their first loss of the season on Friday, a 79-53 blowout to No. 24 Texas (3-1) in the first game of the tournament.

CALIFORNIA 69, HAWAII 54