The Hawaii women’s basketball team lost its last game in extra time and then waited a long time to get back on the court.
The Rainbow Wahine close a seven-game homestand tonight against Arkansas-Pine Bluff, nine days after dropping their Big West Conference season opener to Long Beach State in overtime.
Hawaii (5-3) lost for the first time this season to a team that isn’t undefeated. Its other two losses were against Portland (11-0) in its season opener and No. 1 UCLA (10-0) two weeks ago.
“We’ve got a group of girls who want to move forward,” Hawaii coach Laura Beeman said on Thursday. “We have a team that is experienced, but you also don’t know what you don’t know. I don’t know if we yet understand that every time we step on the court against somebody, they are going to give us their best because of our ranking. Being chosen number 1 in the Big West, being in the mid-major poll twice now, everybody is going to come after us.”
It’s been seven years since the last time UH started a season with a record this good. With games later this week against Clemson and San Diego State in the San Diego Classic in California, UH has the opportunity to build itself a solid nonconference resume entering the rest of the Big West season.
Through eight games, senior Daejah Phillips is the only Rainbow Wahine to have started every one, but she found herself on the trainer’s table at the end of the game against the Beach getting her back worked on.
Hawaii had had eight different players appear in every game, but has also dealt with losing center Ritorya Tamilo for a game and guard Jovi Lefotu for three games.
Tamilo has only led UH in scoring in one game so far this season, but leads the team in scoring overall averaging 11.3 points per game.
“Back home we weren’t really big on stats so I guess it is different here and how I am being recognized so I am super grateful,” Tamilo said.
Tamilo, who is shooting 57.7% from the field, leads UH and is ranked 18th nationally with 2.43 blocks per game as of Thursday of last week.
Hawaii entered the end of last week third in the nation averaging 7.1 blocked per shots per game after blocking 13 against the Beach.
“She has the mindset. It’s not like we’re begging Ritorya to go out and play hard,” Beeman said. “We actually have to take her off the court sometimes and say have a breather and don’t run a sprint. She works incredibly hard. I think what’s exciting is how much she loves the game of basketball.”
Tonight’s matchup is the first time Hawaii and Arkansas-Pine Bluff have played in women’s basketball.
The Golden Lions returned only three letterwinners from last years team.
Freshman guard Janiyah Tucker leads the Golden Lions with 13.2 points per game.
RAINBOW WAHINE BASKETBALL
At SimpliFi Arena at Stan Sheriff Center
Hawaii (5-3) vs. Arkansas-Pine Bluff (2-6)
>> When: Today, 7 p.m.
>> TV: Spectrum Sports
>> Radio: 1420 AM / 92.7 FM
