The Hawaii women’s basketball team picked up its first Big West road victory of the season today, 56-54 at Cal State Northridge.

Seventh-place UH (11-15, 4-9 BWC) got 14 points and 10 rebounds from guard Sarah Toeaina and gained valuable ground toward Big West tournament qualification by upsetting the fifth-place Matadors (14-14, 7-7).

UH held Matadors center Channon Fluker to 24 points and 12 rebounds — well below the 34 and 17 she hung on the Rainbow Wahine at the Stan Sheriff Center in the teams’ first meeting of the season.

The Wahine trailed for most of the first half, rallied to lead by three at halftime thanks to 3s by Lahni Salanoa, and held a narrow lead down the stretch. Salanoa’s 3 with 2:09 left gave her team a 55-52 lead. The teams traded turnovers in the final seconds and Fluker missed a 3 to seal the outcome.

UH continues play on its two-game trip at Long Beach State on Saturday.