Opportunities like this haven’t come around often.
Hawaii last claimed a Big West women’s basketball regular-season title in 2015, with the clincher coming in a road win at Long Beach State, turning senior night into a victory lap.
Seven years later, the Rainbow Wahine enter the final day of the regular season atop the conference standings and with a chance to play for a championship on their home court.
The Wahine face UC Santa Barbara tonight in the final game of the Big West schedule looking to add to the always celebratory senior night ceremony at SimpliFi Arena at Stan Sheriff Center.
UH coach Laura Beeman sees a dual opportunity in the high-stakes scenario with the conference tournament coming up next week.
“When you get into the tournament you control your own destiny,” Beeman said in the press conference following UH’s win over Cal State Northridge on Thursday. “If you lose, you’re done. So I think this is a great dress rehearsal for what it’s going to feel like when we get to Henderson (Nev.).
“It doesn’t matter who else loses, we have to win ballgames.”
Hawaii (16-9, 12-3 BWC) can clinch the Big West regular-season title with a win tonight or if second-place UC Irvine (18-10, 13-4) loses to Cal State Bakersfield in a game that starts at noon.
COVID-19 protocols forced the cancellation of 19 Big West games between Dec. 28 and Jan. 20, leaving teams with uneven schedules. Amid a surge in the omicron variant, the conference announced on Dec. 22 that seeding for the Big West tournament would be determined by winning percentage.
Just as in 2015, when Shawna-Lei Kuehu’s career was celebrated on senior night, tonight’s game will mark the final home appearance of UH forward Amy Atwell’s six-year run with the Wahine.
The graduate student set the tone for UH’s 75-62 win over Cal State Northridge with a blazing start from 3-point range in a 26-point performance and increased her season scoring average to a Big West-leading 18.3 points per game. She’ll be honored for her six-year UH career in tonight’s senior ceremony following the game.
Atwell was held to nine points on 4-for-12 shooting in UH’s first meeting with UC Santa Barbara (15-10, 9-7) this season, a 65-51 loss at the Thunderdome on Jan. 27. UH struggled to a 2-for-13 shooting performance in the the first quarter and shot 32% for the game.
The Wahine have won nine of the 10 games since to ascend to the top of the Big West standings.
“I think we’re a completely different team than we were then and so are they,” Atwell said. “It’s March, it’s going to be a dogfight and whoever fights the hardest is going to come out on top.”
UCSB guard Danae Miller highlighted her senior night a week ago by scoring 35 points with six 3-pointers in a 65-62 win over UC Davis and was named the Big West Player of the Week on Monday.
Miller leads UCSB with 12.7 points per game. Junior forward Ila Lane enters the game averaging 12.3 points per game and leads the Big West in rebounding (9.5 per game) and field-goal percentage (.595). Guard Alexis Tucker scored a game-high 19 points in the first meeting with UH and had 23 in a win at CSUN on Tuesday.
UH guard Nae Nae Calhoun did not suit up for Thursday’s game, having suffered an injury during last week’s road trip.
Guard Olivia Davies returned to the starting lineup against CSUN after sitting out last week’s sweep. She went to the bench midway through the first quarter but returned a few minutes later and played the second and third quarters before sitting out the fourth.
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Big West women’s basketball
At SimpliFi Arena at Stan Sheriff Center
UC Santa Barbara (15-10, 9-7) vs. Hawaii (16-9, 12-3)
>> When: Today, 7 p.m.
>> TV: Spectrum Sports
>> Radio: 1500-AM
>> Promotions: Free Youth Night (youth ages 4 through high school can attend the games for free). UH is encouraging fans to bring ti leaves to the game and wear aloha attire. Also, ticket holders for today’s baseball doubleheader can enter the basketball game at no charge.
