Most reserves averaging less than two points and a rebound per game don’t get credit for helping turn around the culture of a team.

Most reserves aren’t Stephanie Ricketts.

The senior center has been a part-time player, but full-time impact maker, for the resurgent Rainbow Wahine, who are still in contention for a Big West Conference regular-season title.

Third-place UH (14-12, 10-5 Big West) plays its remaining three games at home, starting with Cal State Northridge at 5 p.m. on Saturday.

Ricketts, the former ace softball pitcher, is pursuing a masters degree in nursing while also exhibiting a mastery of bruising opponents in the paint in limited minutes.

In the preseason, new coach Laura Beeman asked the 6-foot Ricketts if she’d consider spending her single year of NCAA graduate school eligibility by playing a sport she gave up after her days at Archbishop Mitty High in San Jose, Calif.

It was a difficult choice to make, but one she believes was the right one.

Some logistical problems and excessive time demands on Ricketts — between clinics and classes — mean she can only participate in about two-thirds of team practices and activities, and can’t make every road game.

Because of that, she met some initial resistance.

"Before I joined, everyone was telling me, ‘That’s impossible. You can’t do that,’" Ricketts said. "That’s what really bugs me, is people telling me I couldn’t do both. So yeah, I think it’s definitely the hardest thing I’ve done, but it’s probably the most rewarding."

Now, coaches and teammates throw credit Ricketts’ way. Despite her modest 11.7 minutes per game, she’s developed a knack for bodying up opponents’ best post players, even when she gives up several inches in height. More important has been the positive attitude instilled by the softball program’s winningest pitcher.

"The fact that she has taken her little bit of free time and given it to us has been incredible," junior guard Sydney Haydel said. "Her work ethic, how she comes in the gym, catches on to things, is able to push our posts, pushes us in sprints. For her to come in straight off of softball … her college career was over. For her to come back and play with us, it’s been a blessing for us."

The new mind-set was key when the Rainbow Wahine were dealt lopsided losses in nonconference play by powerhouses Baylor and Stanford, among others.

Ricketts just goes about her work. She hits the weights hard on her own when she can’t make team sessions. She improvises when there are new plays called she hasn’t learned yet.

And she seems to somehow do better the more difficult something gets.

Beeman called her the MVP of the team’s 47-43 loss at Cal Poly last Saturday … after Ricketts flew up separately from the team on a red-eye flight the night before. Her physical defense on 6-5 Mustangs center Molly Schlemer in relief of Kalei Adolpho was key in a late comeback run (ultimately short) by the Wahine.

"Steph just did a phenomenal job, meeting that post player high, up on the free-throw line. Doing her work early. Taking her legs away from her," Beeman said. "Thank goodness, because that kid may have had 40 on us."

She even had two free throws for a 43-42 lead late in the game. But that would be the last time UH led, and now the Mustangs are one of two teams with a leg up on the Wahine for the top seed going into the Big West tournament.

So has it been worth all the missed sleep, all the extra stress? Absolutely, Ricketts says.

"The fact that I almost missed out on all these new people that I’ve met and have relationships with, it’s kind of crazy that I almost turned that down," Ricketts said. "I was able to handle basketball after not playing for four years, and still come out with a little bit of confidence. Looking back on this year, (I can say) if I can do that, I can probably get through whatever new obstacles I’m going to choose to take on."