Senior-night magic for Wahine

The University of Hawaii women’s basketball team’s four seniors shared the floor to start Saturday’s home finale.

The Rainbow Wahine underclassmen helped ensure the honorees enjoyed a celebratory finish.

Sophomore Kanisha Bello and freshman Alissa Campanero — the lone non-senior in the starting lineup — both posted season-high scoring totals to lead the Wahine to a 72-68 win over Nevada before a crowd of 958 at the Stan Sheriff Center.

"The magic continues on senior night for us," UH head coach Dana Takahara-Dias said after the Wahine closed out their home schedule with a win for a fourth consecutive season. "Somehow we pull it out in the end."

The Wahine (11-16, 6-6 Western Athletic Conference) trailed Nevada by seven points in the second half before Bello buried three 3-pointers in a 19-3 UH run on her way to a 19-point performance off the bench.

Campanero also hit three shots from long range and went 5-for-6 from the free-throw line in the final 30 seconds to seal the win and set a season best with 16 points. Sophomore forward Kamilah Jackson posted her 14th double-double of the season with 12 points and 10 rebounds.

"It was great team effort and this game was just really all for the seniors," Bello said.

UH also set a season high by shooting 87 percent from the free-throw line, making 27 of 31 attempts.

"For us to get to the line and capitalize on it, I believe was the difference tonight," Takahara-Dias said.

Senior Breanna Arbuckle had seven points and six rebounds in her final game at the Sheriff Center and was honored after the win along with Rebecca Dew, Courtney Gaddis and Carlotta Mingo.

"I really appreciate my teammates playing hard. We played even in the first half and in the second half came out stronger than ever," Arbuckle said as she greeted fans who stuck around after the senior ceremony.

The quartet started the game together, with Gaddis and Mingo making their first career starts, while Dew was among the first five for just the second time this season.

Regular starters Jackson, Vicky Tagalicod and Sydney Haydel checked in at the first media timeout, and the Wahine and Wolf Pack went into halftime tied 32-32.

Nevada pulled ahead 53-46 before UH scored the game’s next 14 points, with Bello starting the run by hitting a 3-pointer while being fouled. She hit the free throw to complete the 4-point play, and Jackson tied the game with three more free throws.

"It’s a whole team play," Bello said. "If I don’t get a good screen, a good pass, I can’t hit that shot. Overall, we just executed."

Bello then gave UH the lead for good with another 3-pointer at the 8:16 mark, while UH held Nevada scoreless for a span of 8 minutes, 26 seconds.

"We buckled down and knew we had to play defense to win this game and that’s what we did," Arbuckle said.

Nevada (5-22, 1-11) crept back to within four at 65-61 with two free throws and a 3-pointer by Kate Kevorken with 1:58 left. But a driving shot by Arbuckle and Campanero’s free throws down the stretch secured the win for the Wahine.

The Wahine depart Tuesday on their final road trip of the season. UH closes the regular season with games at Utah State on Thursday and Idaho on Saturday before heading to Las Vegas for the WAC tournament.