No one wants to cede territory to the new kid on the block.

Yet the Hawaii women’s basketball team, in its first season back in the Big West Conference, staked out a share of second place at the midpoint of the 18-game league schedule.

UH continues a three-game road trip today at Long Beach State. It will open second-round play for both teams; everybody has played everybody once.

"Kind of the way I’ve looked at it is, I think a lot of teams came in and underestimated us," first-year UH coach Laura Beeman said in a phone interview from California. "I really do. We need to, I don’t want to use the word prove, because I don’t think that’s the reason why you play the game. But I think we really need to solidify that we’re a legitimate contender in this conference."

League leader Pacific (18-3, 8-1) lost only in triple overtime at Cal Poly in the first round. If the Rainbow Wahine can’t catch the Tigers but manage to hold on to second, they’ll still receive a double-bye into the Big West tournament semifinals in mid-March. Third or fourth place offers a single bye into the second round of the eight-team tourney.

"It really is going to continue to come down to doing what we do, and trying to get better so that we can go into the Big West tournament and hopefully win the thing, and get to the NCAA tournament," Beeman said.

UH junior forward Kamilah Martin has been the league’s top scorer in Big West games at 17.2 per game, and is fifth in rebounding at 8.1.

Grittiness defined the Rainbow Wahine during the league’s first half. UH was the Big West’s best in rebounding margin (plus-6.0) and a top-three team in points allowed (57.4) and field-goal percentage defense (.359).

UH took over late in its win at Cal State Northridge last Saturday, forcing the Matadors to shoot 1-for-16 between 14:30 and 2:20 left. Free-throw shooting — a season-best 25-for-31 — iced it for the Wahine.

Long Beach State grabbed an incredible 23 offensive rebounds when it played at Hawaii on Jan. 13, but the 49ers shot 1-for-24 on 3-pointers in falling 65-57.

"I anticipate them to take a better shot selection. I anticipate it to be a very physical, physical game," Beeman said.

Ticket discount for remaining games

UH is offering a free ticket of equal or lesser value for each ticket purchased for four of the five remaining Rainbow Wahine home games — Feb. 14 (UC Davis), Feb. 16 (Pacific), March 7 (UC Riverside) and March 9 (Cal State Fullerton).

The 2-for-1 promotion applies only at the Stan Sheriff Center box office.