Wahine fall to Cal State Bakersfield

Hawaii stayed a step ahead of Cal State Bakersfield through three quarters, but couldn’t keep up with the Roadrunners in the fourth.

CSUB forward Aja Williams scored 10 of her game-high 27 points in the final period to lead the Roadrunners to a 58-51 win over the Rainbow Wahine basketball team on Sunday at the Icardo Center in Bakersfield, Calif.

The Wahine led after each of the first three quarters, but CSUB outscored UH 25-15 over the final 10 minutes to win its season opener.

Two days after a 76-44 loss at USC, UH committed 19 turnovers, struggled from both the field and the free-throw line and fell to 0-2 for the first time in fifth-year head coach Laura Beeman’s tenure.

“We had way too many turnovers again, we shot 50 percent from the free-throw line and we still had an opportunity to get the ball down one with just under 30 seconds and missed a crucial, crucial blockout,” Beeman said in a phone interview. “Those are all signs of a very young team and that’s what we are. That’s the crazy part, that we were still in this game.”

Hawaii senior Briana Harris posted her first career double-double with 15 points and 10 rebounds. Junior guard Sarah Toeaina finished with 14 points and eight rebounds. Sophomore forward Lahni Salanoa added seven points and eight boards. Guard Leah Salanoa hit two 3-pointers in an eight-point second-quarter outburst.

Williams took 26 of CSUB’s 60 total field goal attempts and hit five 3-pointers.

With both teams struggling from the field — CSUB shot 33 percent to UH’s 31 percent — production from the free-throw line proved to be the difference.

UH repeatedly drew fouls against CSUB’s pressure in the first half but made just eight of 16 free throws and finished 10-for-20 while CSUB went 11-for-14.

“We left 10 points on the floor and you can’t do that when you’re on the road and you can’t do that when you turn the ball over 19 times,” Beeman said.

“We hold a team to 58 points, we should beat them and we were unable to do that tonight. Free throws and turnovers killed our offensive productivity.”

UH led 36-33 going into the fourth quarter and opened up a 42-37 lead on a Harris jumper with 6:52 left. CSUB came back to take a 50-47 lead with 3:24 left on Williams’ fifth 3-pointer of the game.

CSUB led 52-49 when Toeaina scored off an assist from Harris to bring with to within a point with 1:07 left.

Williams missed two free throws with 27 seconds left, but Brittany Sims secured the offensive rebound on the second miss and was fouled. She made both free throws to give CSUB a 54-51 cushion and the Roadrunners edged away from the foul line.

UH makes its Stan Sheriff Center debut on Friday against Youngstown State in the Bank of Hawaii Rainbow Wahine Classic.