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For a prime example of Hawaii’s struggles in Big West women’s basketball over the past two seasons, take a glance at the series between the Rainbow Wahine and the Highlanders of UC Riverside.
Things have not gone well of late. UH won the first seven games between the schools, but now has dropped five in a row — recently by huge margins — after a 79-57 rout at Riverside’s SRC Arena on Thursday. It knocked the Rainbow Wahine (8-10 overall) down to 1-4 in conference play.
The Wahine got 21 points from Sarah Toeaina and little else in the 22-point setback, the widest margin of defeat in the series. UCR also swept last year’s home-and-home set by 18 and 20 points.
Lahni Salanoa scored 11, but most of the way it was Toeaina or bust. Usual double-figure scorers Julissa Tago and Kenna Woodfolk were held to four points each.
UH trailed by 12 at halftime and the deficit ballooned quickly in the third quarter.
UH dropped to 0-3 in conference road games this season. It lost the last two by a combined 48 points.
UH coach Laura Beeman messaged the Star-Advertiser postgame: “Lack of energy big time. We played flat and without any urgency. They outrebounded us and it showed up big time on the offensive boards. They had 14 offensive for a total of 24 points. We missed free throws again (11) and a number of layups (at least eight). I need to figure out how to get us back on track. It’s not going to get any easier at this point.”
Highlanders guard Lauren Holt scored 24 points on 10-for-16 shooting (4-for-7 on 3-pointers) and point guard Michelle Curry added 15 points, six rebounds, five assists and three steals.
UH got doubled up in the paint, 44-22, got outrebounded by 15 and got outscored 24-8 in second-chance points.
