The sputtering Rainbow Wahine offense was in need of a tune up, so Laura Beeman went into the shop and tweaked the engines.
For one night, at least, Beeman turned her methodical, halfcourt-centric team into a run-and-gun outfit in an 80-57 rout of visiting UC Riverside.
“We have not done that this year. That’s on me,” the eighth-year coach said. “And so (it was) taking the handcuffs off these guys to go and play basketball. And they did. It was fun to watch.”
UH (7-9, 1-2 Big West), in snapping a four-game slide that included defeats in its first two conference contests, put up a season high in points against a Division I opponent. UH did not exceed 55 points during its losing streak.
Thursday was dramatically different from the outset, as the Wahine came out firing and led the Highlanders (5-11, 1-1) 23-7 after a quarter.
>> PHOTOS: Hawaii vs. UC Riverside
UH built a 25-point first-half lead by shooting early in the shot clock and enjoyed a 46-24 advantage at intermission. It matched its season high of 11 3-pointers made on 42.3 percent shooting from deep.
Freshman point guard Nae Nae Calhoun wore a smile for much of the game in scoring nine points, grabbing a season-high 10 rebounds and dealing six assists.
“I know I got shooters to the left and right of me and the posts are going to set good screens and roll to the basket,” Calhoun said. “Pushing tempo, I know we’re all right there, so it’s fun.”
Beeman added: “Basically what she wants to say is, ‘It’s about time, Coach.’ ”
Julissa Tago poured in 21 points on 8-for-16 shooting in picking up where she left off with her 25-point outburst in a 62-49 loss at UC Davis on Saturday. It was necessary with forward Amy Atwell out for the second straight game with an unspecified injury.
Tago compared Thursday to running open gym in the summer.
“It opens it up a lot more, because it puts the defense on their heels,” she said.
The team made sure to voice confidence in its halfcourt offense and could go back to it as soon as Saturday, when it hosts Cal State Fullerton (10-6, 2-1), coached by Hawaii native Jeff Harada.
“We run our sets well, and when we’re open we hit shots,” Beeman said. “You can’t just be a halfcourt team in any conference. With the athleticism that we see, we have to stretch the defense out a little bit.”
All-Big West forward Jannon Otto opened by hitting her first two jump shots for UCR. She cooled off from there against the defense of UH wing Jadynn Alexander, and finished with 21 points on 22 shots, while grabbing 11 rebounds.
Riverside came out of the break amped and cut it to 15 less than four minutes into the third quarter.
Calhoun and Alexander (12 points) squelched that with baskets, as did Myrrah Joseph with three straight hoops when the Highlanders drew within 16 in the fourth period.
