Hawai‘i Falls at UC San Diego, 59–46, After Cold Middle Quarters

LA JOLLA – The University of Hawai‘i women’s basketball team saw a strong opening quarter undone by prolonged scoring droughts, as the Rainbow Wahine fell 59–46 to UC San Diego on Saturday afternoon at LionTree Arena.

Hawai‘i jumped out quickly, shooting 66.7 percent in the first quarter and building a 20–13 lead behind sharp ball movement and efficient perimeter shooting. Bailey Flavell set the tone early, while Saniyah Neverson and Jade Peacock helped Hawai‘i control the paint and the glass in the opening 10 minutes.

The momentum shifted dramatically in the second quarter. Hawai‘i managed just four points on 2-for-11 shooting as UC San Diego tightened defensively and turned turnovers into transition opportunities.

Makayla Rose sparked the Tritons during a decisive 16–4 run, including a buzzer-beating three that sent UCSD into halftime with a 29–24 advantage.

Offensive struggles continued for Hawai‘i in the third quarter, where the Wahine shot 23.1 percent and went scoreless from beyond the arc. UC San Diego extended its lead behind balanced scoring and strong interior defense, pushing the margin to 40–31 entering the fourth.

Hawai‘i showed resilience in the final period, outscoring UC San Diego 15–19 and briefly cutting the deficit to single digits.

Neverson finished with nine points and eight rebounds, while Flavell led Hawai‘i with 18 points, including a pair of late baskets that kept the Wahine competitive down the stretch. However, UC San Diego answered each push, sealing the game with timely shooting and defensive stops.

UC San Diego shot 40.7 percent from the field and 40.0 percent from three, while Hawai‘i finished at 38.0 percent overall and 25.0 percent from deep. Turnovers proved costly for the Wahine, who committed 19 compared to the Tritons’ eight, leading to an 18–4 disadvantage in points off turnovers.

Hawai‘i won the rebounding battle 37–28 and held advantages in second-chance points, but the cold shooting stretches in the middle quarters ultimately proved too much to overcome.

The loss moves Hawai‘i to 12–10 overall and 6–6 in Big West play, while UC San Diego improved to 17–6 and remained atop the conference standings.

UH returns to Bankoh Arena next week for a pivotal stretch, beginning with a matchup against CSU Bakersfield on Thursday, Feb. 12, followed by CSUN on Saturday, Feb. 14.