Third-quarter outburst spurs Wahine past Gauchos

The quarter of the season lifted the Hawaii women’s basketball team to a decisive Big West win over UC Santa Barbara, 72-49, on Wednesday night.

UH’s 30-point third was its highest-scoring quarter of 2018-19 — this from a team that once failed to score 30 in a game less than a month ago. The Rainbow Wahine (10-13, 6-4 BWC) were coming off a 56-40 loss at Long Beach State on Saturday.

“We have bounce-back (ability), we know that,” UH coach Laura Beeman said of her fourth-place outfit. “That’s not been a problem of ours. It’s putting wins together, now.”

The Wahine get a quick chance at payback against LBSU at 5:30 p.m. Saturday.

Guard Courtney Middap put in a team-high 14 points, including a career-best 4-for-8 on 3-pointers. Tia Kanoa, Kenna Woodfolk, Myrrah Joseph, Jadynn Alexander and Amy Atwell all added eight points as the Wahine shot 51.9 percent from the field, including 8-for-18 (44.4 percent) from long range before the Stan Sheriff Center crowd of 565.

UCSB (5-18, 2-8) was within six points at halftime and five a minute into the third quarter when near perfection coalesced for the Wahine. They ran the floor with purpose, worked the ball inside and out and canned open shot after open shot.

For the period, they shot 11-for-17 with eight assists and two turnovers. They outscored UCSB by 15, turning a six-point game into a blowout with 10 minutes to spare.

“It was fun to be able go out and know that people were going to be in the spots to pass the ball and people were going to get me open,” said Middap, who splashed in two of her 3s following two from Woodfolk during a 15-0 run. “It was just fun for everyone to do their job in that third quarter.”

Atwell hit four straight baskets to close the quarter.

UCSB guard Coco Miller (13.1 points per game) struggled for the second time in two meetings against UH this season. After being held to four points on 0-for-12 shooting from the field in a 47-35 UH win at the Thunderdome on Jan. 26, she scored two points Wednesday on 0-for-5.

“She’s very savvy. You leave her open, she’s going to score,” Beeman said. “Our game plan was, let’s run her off screens. If she catches, let’s make sure we’re there. Defensively, let’s post her up and make her work on that side of the ball. Try to cause a little frustration, which is hard to do against a player like her.”

Miller picked up her fourth foul with 7:03 to play in the third and that was pretty much that. Point guard Danae Miller (no relation) led the visitors with 17 points on 4-for-13 shooting, pacing the Gauchos’ 30.4 percent night.