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At some point since winning the Big West women’s basketball championship in 2016, Hawaii lost its edge. The 2018-19 season, which begins today against Pepperdine at the Stan Sheriff Center, is about finding it without jumping off of it.
Even with Sarah Toeaina earning All-Big West first-team honors each of the past two seasons, the Rainbow Wahine went 12-18 consecutively. UH was 5-11 in the Big West to finish in eighth place last year and was bounced by center Channon Fluker and Cal State Northridge in the BWC tournament first round.
“We have to be (better),” seventh-year coach Laura Beeman said. “I mean, we have to be. It’s not a matter of ‘Will we?’ — we have to be. This program is too good, there’s too much tradition here and expectation here for us to be a seventh- or an eighth-place team.”
UH was picked to finish fifth (coaches) and sixth (media) in Big West preseason polling.
“We can’t talk about it. We have to do it,” Beeman said. “I don’t think it’s going to happen overnight. It’s more of an edge (factor) than skill level. We have to find the pit bull in that locker room and bring the pit bull onto this floor. If we do that, we’re going to upset some people and have a really nice year. If we don’t, then it’s anyone’s guess.”
Toeaina (16.5 ppg) was to be the team’s only loss — and a considerable one as she graduated as the program’s No. 9 all-time scorer at 1,204 points — but post players Mackenzie Clinch Hoycard and Taylor Donohue left the program in the preseason, denting UH’s frontcourt depth.
The No. 2 through 10 scorers of last season are back, though, with junior guard Julissa Tago (9.4 ppg), junior forward Kenna Woodfolk (8.9) and senior wing Lahni Salanoa (8.8) the go-to options.
Lauren Rewers, a 6-foot-4 sophomore center, and Courtney Middap, a 5-10 junior guard, will also have stepped-up roles. Leah Salanoa will assist senior point guard Tia Kanoa with ball-handling duties along with Middap.
“Sarah brought a lot to our team, so everybody has to step up in their own different ways,” said Kanoa, who as a junior tied for the program’s record for assist average in a season (5.1) with BJ Itoman (1997-98). “We have a lot of different elements that are really going to help us out.
“If we can get our chemistry together, it’s going to be great.”
UH brought in three newcomers — guards Savannah Reier and Lamarria Johnson and utility forward Myrrah Joseph.
“I think one of my major roles is just to bring energy,” said the 5-foot-7 Reier, a transfer from Shelton State (Ala.) Community College. “That’s something Coach Beeman talked to me about when I came on my visit and over the phone several times. Just bringing a different aspect to the team that isn’t necessarily missing but could be improved.”
Kanoa, Lahni Salanoa, Amy Atwell and Joseph missed the team’s 62-26 exhibition win over Hawaii Hilo on Thursday.
This is the first time in Beeman’s tenure that UH opens at home. Pepperdine, 10-20 last year, was picked to finish ninth of 10 teams in the West Coast Conference.
After that, UH is off to San Diego for games against San Diego State (Friday) and San Diego (Sunday).
UH WOMEN’S BASKETBALL OPENER
Today, 7 p.m. at Stan Sheriff Center
>> Pepperdine (0-0) at Hawaii (0-0)
>> TV: Spectrum Sports
>> Radio: KHKA, 1500-AM
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