UH snuffs Cal Poly’s hope for payback

Early on, Cal Poly appeared primed for a payback performance in Saturday’s rematch with Hawaii.

In the end, the host Rainbow Wahine celebrated their second victory over the Mustangs in a 10-day span.

Rainbow Wahine guard Sarah Toeaina scored 23 points for the second straight meeting with Cal Poly and forward Lahni Salanoa added 16 points, all in the second half, in a 66-57 Big West women’s basketball win at the Stan Sheriff Center.

After Cal Poly broke out to a nine-point lead early in the second quarter, UH (8-11, 4-3 Big West) answered with a 13-0 run and the teams went into halftime tied at 26. The first of Salanoa’s four 3-pointers gave UH a 36-33 lead and the Wahine led by as many as 12 before holding off a late rally to pick up their fourth win in the past five games.

“We’ve got confidence now, and that’s a great and valuable weapon this team has,” UH coach Laura Beeman said, “and they’re going to continue to use it the right way because we don’t have arrogance on this team, we have confidence on this team.”

Toeaina went 7-for-10 from the field and hit all nine of her free throws, falling one short of qualifying for the program record for free-throw percentage in a game.

In two meetings with Cal Poly (7-12, 3-4), Toeaina scored 46 points on 14-for-22 shooting from the field and 18-for-23 from the line. She connected on one of her first four field-goal attempts on Saturday, her last miss of the night coming at the 8:24 mark of the second quarter.

“I knew if I stayed aggressive it would open up for my teammates,” Toeaina said. “(Assistant coach Calamity McEntire) … would tell me touch the ball twice and see what you have. She reminded me not to push the fact, but our offense is flowing right now and no better time than right now.”

Salanoa didn’t attempt a shot in the first half, then went 6-for-6 in the second, tying a career high with four 3-pointers. She also blocked a career-high five shots and grabbed eight rebounds.

“Honestly I was just looking to get everybody else open (in the first half),” said Salanoa, who went 12-for-16 from the field with eight 3-pointers in UH’s two-game homestand. “The second half I knew I had to come out stronger on both sides of the court.”

Senior guard Briana Harris attacked the basket for 14 points, and freshman forward Keleah-Aiko Koloi grabbed a season-high 11 rebounds while helping to contain Cal Poly forward Hannah Gilbert after she scored 12 of the Mustangs’ first 20 points.

Gilbert finished with 14 points, going 1-for-7 from the field in the second half. Guard Dynn Leaupepe led the Mustangs with 16 points and Cal Poly shot 32 percent from the field, going 0-for-10 from 3-point range.

Cal Poly coach Faith Mimnaugh declined comment through a staffer after the game.

“I though (Koloi) did an unbelievable job against Gilbert,” Beeman said. “She didn’t allow her deep position. The difference, though, was we stopped turning the ball over in the first half and allowing them an easy transition into one-on-one looks.”

After committing seven turnovers against Cal Poly’s aggressive defense in the first quarter, UH — which shot 57 percent in an 87-79 win at Cal Poly on Jan. 19 — settled down to shoot 50 percent (14-for-28) in the second and third quarters.

The Wahine head back on the road to face UC Riverside (10-10, 4-3) on Thursday and Cal State Northridge (9-11, 2-4) on Saturday.