The Hawaii women’s basketball team has played its way into conference contention at the midpoint of the Big West season.

UH escaped with its third straight road victory, 70-68 at UC Irvine on Thursday, to move into a three-way tie for second place at 5-3 with eight games to play.

Laura Beeman’s team (9-12 overall) has won four of five and can make it sweeps of two straight road trips if the Rainbow Wahine come away with a win at Long Beach State (6-15, 3-5) at noon on Saturday.

“You know, we have to continue to grow and continue to play well as a team, buy into our game plans,” Beeman said in a postgame phone interview. “We know this is a really special team. We just have to continue to grow and believe that. If these guys continue to mature as a group, then I think we can beat anybody, and we’ve proven that.”

At the Bren Events Center, the Rainbow Wahine surprised by leading by 11 points over the host Anteaters (14-5, 4-3) entering the fourth quarter. UH clung to an eight-point lead with five minutes left and got two important free throws from Courtney Middap to make it a five-point game with six seconds left. UH was 17-for-18 from the line for the game, including 8-for-8 in the fourth quarter.

They were the difference as UCI’s Jordan Sanders (29 points, eight rebounds, four blocks) converted a three-point play with five seconds to go. The Wahine committed an out-of-bounds turnover against ball pressure with under three seconds left, but UCI had to inbound about 70 feet from the UH basket. Sanders missed a heave at the horn.

“We expected Irvine to come back in that fourth quarter. They did,” Beeman said. “We were able to hold them off. I think it comes down to handling the pressure.”

Amy Atwell scored 19 points off the bench to lead Hawaii. She shot 8-for-11 from the field, calling to mind her 25-point outburst on 9-for-11 shooting in the four-point loss at Cal State Fullerton to open Big West play.

Hawaii has won every road game since.

“She was able to make some incredibly athletic plays,” Beeman said. “Got her feet set on her 3s. She just needed that crack of a window tonight and they gave it to her. Super proud of her being able to give us some good points. We needed it off the bench and she gave it to us.”

Middap and forward Kenna Woodfolk added 11 points apiece.