Reese’s 34 Points Powers LSU Past Hawai’i in Women’s NCAA March Madness First Round

Reese’s 34 Points Powers LSU Past Hawai’i in Women’s NCAA March Madness First Round 

BY PAUL BRECHT | HONOLULU
PUBLISHED MAR 17, 2023

BATON ROUGE — The 2022-23 season came to a close for the Hawai’i Rainbow Wahine Friday night as the ‘Bows fell in the round of 64 of the NCAA tournament to #3 seed LSU, 73-50.

Angel Reese, the Tigers’ sophomore All-American First-Team selection, was unstoppable for most of the night. The 6’3 forward finished the night with her 29th double-double of the year, recording 34 points and 15 rebounds in the win over the ‘Bows. She is the first SEC player in this century to record 30+ points and 15+ rebounds in a women’s NCAA tournament game. 

Hawai’i was led by Kallin Spiller’s 13 points, as the graduate student drilled a pair of fourth-quarter 3-pointers to try to help spur a late comeback. Lily Wahinekapu also finished in double-figures, scoring 11 points to go along with six rebounds and three assists.

LSU moves on to the round of 32 to take on the sixth-seeded Michigan Wolverines, who dispatched UNLV earlier in the afternoon. 

Turnovers Turn the ‘Bows Luck Over

Playing in front of over 8,600 fans, it was loud from the tip on Friday night. For the ‘Bows, it was the largest crowd by nearly three times as many fans that had been in attendance for a game featuring them. 

Hawai’i opened the scoring with a Wahinekapu 3-pointer and held the Tigers off the scoreboard for the first few possessions. The ‘Bows matched the physicality of LSU early on, battling on the boards and forcing the higher-seeded Tigers to take difficult shots.

Turnovers changed things quickly, with LSU forcing eight Hawai’i throwaways in the opening quarter. While the Tigers couldn’t get on the board early with their halfcourt offense, turnovers allowed them to finally get on the scoreboard and led directly to four of their first six points.

Once LSU opened the scoring, the Tigers pounded the ball inside to Reese and the All-American went to work. Reese scored eight points in the opening quarter, outscoring Hawai’i by herself as LSU took an 18-7 lead into the second quarter.

The Rainbow Wahine started to settle in as the half went on, trading buckets in the second quarter with the talented Tigers. While looks still were not going down at the rate that Hawai’i would have liked, the defense remained strong against an LSU team that averages over 80 points a contest.

The ‘Bows cut it down to seven, 29-22, after a Meilani McBee 3-pointer with 3:06 left to play in the first half seemed to give Hawai’i some momentum.

LSU took that momentum right back, locking it down on the defensive end and holding Hawai’i scoreless for the rest of the half. The Tigers used the defensive mastery to grow the lead to 13 points heading into the locker rooms. 

Hawai’i knocked down back-to-back threes to start the second half, but Angel Reese took the game over for LSU. The All-American scored the first nine points of the second half for the Tigers, pushing the lead to 15.

“I think what it came down to it was when big shots had to be made, they made big shots,” Beeman said following the loss. “We missed shots when we had wide open looks and to beat a team the quality of LSU, you have to hit wide open shots and we just didn’t do that.” 

Trading baskets back and forth, Hawai’i would not allow LSU to pull away without a fight. The ‘Bows kept it at 15, 48-33, as the teams entered the final 10 minutes. 

A 10-2 run to start the final quarter of play for the Tigers essentially buried any chance at a Rainbow Wahine comeback, extending the lead to 23 points. Despite the killer blow, Hawai’i did not let up in any way.

Imani Perez, Daejah Phillips and Spiller all put up points as the Rainbow Wahine tried to fight back with time winding down, but the clock was an enemy of the ‘Bows. A Spiller steal that turned into a Wahinekapu layup with 47 seconds left would be the final score of the night for the ‘Bows, falling 73-50.

“I’m incredibly proud of these girls, tough environment to come play … but it was fun,” Beeman said with a smile. “This team has not quit all year long. They have just fought adversity head-on all year and our tournament was a reflection of that.”  

The ‘Bows lost four different players from the rotation through the course of the year, all of whom should be able to return next season. In their absence, more freshmen and sophomores stepped up for the young Rainbow Wahine.

In a game against one of the premier programs in women’s college basketball, Hawai’i fought for 40 minutes and will get the benefit of returning most of the players who saw action. The young ‘Bows, like sophomores Daejah Phillips and Lily Wahinekapu and freshman Imani Perez, get another offseason to improve their strength and skills in preparation for a potential third straight Big West championship.

“I thought today they played outstanding. We’re going to advance in this [NCAA] tournament and games like this, situations like this only help us get there,” said Beeman in reference to the future. “Yeah, just incredibly proud of this group.” 

Battle in the Bayou: Rainbow Wahine Head to Baton Rouge for NCAA Tournament Test against Reese, LSU

Battle in the Bayou: Rainbow Wahine Head to Baton Rouge for NCAA Tournament Test against Reese, LSU

Battle in the Bayou: Rainbow Wahine Head to Baton Rouge for NCAA Tournament Test against Reese, LSU 

BY PAUL BRECHT | HONOLULU
PUBLISHED MAR 17, 2023

BATON ROUGE — Selection Sunday provided the Rainbow Wahine with a nice little surprise.

Last season ended with the ‘Bows securing a 15-seed in the NCAA tournament before bowing out following a loss to Baylor. This season, the Hawai’i women’s basketball team jumped up a rank to the 14-seed, setting up a Friday battle with 1st Team All-American Angel Reese and 3-seeded LSU in the NCAA Tournament Round of 64.

Hawai’i enters the tournament on a five-game win streak, clawing through the Big West tournament en route to a second consecutive Big West championship for the Rainbow Wahine. 

Sitting at 18-14 overall, the ‘Bows turned the season around after a tough 1-7 start to the year. While part of the struggles came by design, as five of the seven losses came at the hands of teams who are playing in the NCAA tournament as well, part of the struggles came from injuries the team suffered.

The Big West champions closed out the rest of the season 17-7, playing the best basketball of the year as the regular season came to an end. While the ‘Bows were forced to reconfigure their lineup repeatedly to figure out the best mix of the new personnel after injuries, early-season struggles closing games flourished into the right formula going into the conference tournament. 

Tigers on the Prowl

Reese and the Tigers have enjoyed a dominant season, cruising along to a 28-2 record as they head into Friday’s matchup with the ‘Bows. 

LSU fell to Tennessee in the SEC tournament semifinals back on March 4, 69-67, in the team’s last action before the tournament. The Tigers’ only other loss of the year came on February 12 on the road against defending national champion South Carolina, 88-64.

LSU has yet to lose at home this season, going a perfect 15-0 in regular season play. They’ve proven to be one of the best home teams in the country, followed by a crowd of over 8,000 fans per night. That would be the largest crowd the ‘Bows have played in front of this season.

Angel Reese, the 6’3 sophomore who transferred to LSU after one season with Maryland, is the main focal point of everything the Tigers do. The 1st team All-American has dominated opponents this season, averaging 23.4 points per game and leading the SEC by more than five rebounds per game with 15.5 per contest.

Reese’s impact does not end at her counting stats, as the forward has gained some attention this season for her affinity for trash talk. She’s very good, she knows she’s very good and she has no issue letting opponents know it too. It has caused some opponents to get out of sorts and frustrated, helping the Tigers increase leads. 

Alexis Morris is the dynamic guard to go with the dominant frontcourt player that is Angel Reese. LSU’s second-leading scorer, Morris is averaging more than 15 points per game while shooting 37% from long distance. While teams would like to collapse defenses down to the paint where Reese can dominate, the guard forces defenses to respect the outside shot of the Tigers. 

Jasmine Carson, the Tigers’ other starting guard, adds another elite shooter to the lineup for LSU as she leads the team with over 50 3-pointers made this season. 

While LSU’s monster season has been spearheaded by the elite one-two punch of Reese and Morris, the overall length of the usual eight players in the rotation helps the Tigers typically win the rebounding battle and force opponents to think twice before attacking the basket. 

LaDazhia Williams, a graduate student, stands at 6’4 and is a solid rebounder on both ends of the floor. Her length has also allowed her to protect the paint when teams get Reese out of the lane. 

Overall, the Tigers have a solid, albeit short, rotation of players that can put pressure on opposing defenses with their offensive rebounding ability and shot-making from long range. 

Winning the Margins, Winning the Round 

As with any #3 versus #14 matchup, the odds are in the favor of the higher seed. The game will be played in Baton Rouge, home for a team without a loss on that floor this season.

This does not mean that the LSU Tigers are unbeatable, although it will be a tall task for the Rainbow Wahine. Here are a couple things that will be important for Hawai’i, should the ‘Bows potentially pull off the upset.

Battle on the Glass

As mentioned before, LSU is one of the better rebounding teams that Hawai’i will have faced this season. The Tigers are aided by a frontcourt that employs multiple players over 6’3 and the aforementioned Reese’s dominance on the glass.  

Freshman Imani Perez, the ‘Bows 6’4 forward, has come on late in the season with her development. Her ability to grab offensive rebounds and create second-chance opportunities for Hawai’i was a key factor in the comeback win over UCSB in the Big West championship.   

Perez will be tasked with competing with Reese and Williams on the glass and while it shouldn’t be expected to be a dominant performance by Perez on the O-boards, any additional chances she can help create will be paramount for keeping pace with the Tigers.

Nnenna Orji and Kallin Spiller will also be expected to compete on the glass. If Hawai’i can keep the rebounding battle close and grab some extra chances off misses, the ‘Bows will be in good shape. 

Dynamic Scoring Guards Galore 

Lily Wahinekapu and Daejah Phillips have been fantastic for the ‘Bows, handling the ball and creating offensive looks for themselves and teammates through the stretch run. 

They will be met by a pair of guards who can really score it for LSU in Morris and Carson. 

While offense has been a big part of their contributions for the Rainbow Wahine this season, Phillips and Wahinekapu don’t slack on the defensive end. Wahinekapu came up with clutch steal after clutch steal during the Big West tournament and Phillips is a consistent menace in the passing lanes and on the ball getting tips. 

The scoring of the two guards will be important against LSU, a team that can lock it down on defense sometimes. The defense will arguably be bigger. 

Reese will most likely get her production in, no matter what game plan she sees against her. That makes it even more vital for teams like Hawai’i trying to pull off the upset to limit the chances that Carson and Morris get from long distance. 

If Phillips and Wahinekapu can hold down the Tigers’ dynamic backcourt, the inconsistency of LSU closing games could be a door to the upset for the ‘Bows. 

Prediction:

It will be a dogfight between Hawai’i and LSU. The Tigers will come out looking to put away the ‘Bows early, but the Rainbow Wahine will keep it within striking distance heading into halftime. The ‘Bows have experience against top teams this season, so LSU won’t be able to shock Hawai’i with pure different athletes.

The second half will obviously decide things, as each team will get a chance to make adjustments. In the end, the length of the Tigers and the talent of Reese will push LSU over the top late, 72-59. 

Battle in the Bayou: Rainbow Wahine Head to Baton Rouge for NCAA Tournament Test against Reese, LSU

Back-2-Back: Rainbow Wahine Erase 15-Point Deficit to Stun UC Santa Barbara in Big West Championship

Back-2-Back: Rainbow Wahine Erase 15-Point Deficit to Stun UC Santa Barbara in Big West Championship 

BY PAUL BRECHT | HONOLULU
PUBLISHED MAR 12, 2023

HENDERSON, Nev. — The emotional joyride and story that is the 2022-2023 Hawai’i Rainbow Wahine basketball team reached another peak on Saturday.

As the Gauchos’ desperation heave at the horn bounced off the rim, emotion overcame the ‘Bows team that had just achieved the same feat just a year prior with a totally different cast.  

Hawai’i, a group that had lost multiple key rotation players due to season-ending injuries, took down UC Santa Barbara, 61-59, for the team’s second consecutive Big West Tournament championship. 

The ‘Bows punched their ticket for the second straight year to the NCAA Tournament, something that would have seemed like an absurd statement after losing multiple starters throughout the season. The resilience and toughness of the Rainbow Wahine only continued to show as the team finally learned to close out games. 

First-Half Nightmare

The first 20 minutes of Saturday’s Big West Championships finale was anything but easy for the ‘Bows.

All-Big West selections Ila Lane and Alexis Tucker, UCSB’s dynamic duo that had powered the Gauchos to the title game, controlled the game on the glass and with their hot shooting as UC Santa Barbara jumped out to a seven-point lead through one quarter. 

The opening period saw Hawai’i struggle to stop the Gauchos offense, as Tucker was nearly unstoppable to the tune of 10 points in the first 10 minutes. 

The ‘Bows 1st quarter struggles were only exacerbated by stud wing Daejah Phillips being whistled for two quick fouls, which sent the Las Vegas native to the bench for the rest of the first half. 

The Gauchos, who took out red-hot UC Davis in the quarterfinals before dispatching Big West “Cinderella” CSU Bakersfield in the semifinals, shot 50% from 3-point range in the opening quarter en route to a 22-15 advantage after 10 minutes of play. 

The 2nd quarter saw more of the same, as UCSB continued to shoot well from the field and Hawai’i did not. The Gauchos doubled-up the ‘Bows in the second, 16-8, to take a 15-point lead into the locker rooms as UC Santa Barbara looked to avenge the loss suffered a week prior.

Battle-Back ‘Bows 

For any fan who had watched the Rainbow Wahine this season, they knew that the game was far from over despite the grim outlook halfway through. 

For a team who has lost key player after key player to injury this season and continued to succeed, a 15-point halftime deficit was not anything to flinch at. The ‘Bows knew they needed to stay the course, stick together and they would make their run back. 

“We were down last year [in the Big West championship] at halftime too and that’s when experience really comes in,” graduate forward Kallin Spiller said postgame. “We went into that locker room and had that same re-grouping mentality and talked about how we were going to stay together through adversity. That’s what this team has done all season, on the court and off the court we’ve stuck together.” 

There was a shift in momentum with under seven minutes to play in the 3rd quarter, as Phillips checked back in for the first time since the opening minutes of the game. 

As soon as she touched the floor, Hawai’i went on a 9-2 run to cut the lead to single digits once again. The Gauchos began to trade baskets with the ‘Bows in the final minute of the quarter and a pair of Tucker free throws gave UCSB a 10-point lead going into the final frame.

An 11-5 Hawai’i run, sparked by Phillips’ hot shooting from downtown and then a tough step back 3-pointer from Lily Wahinekapu cut the Gaucho lead to four with 6:30 to play and forced a timeout. 

UC Santa Barbara tried to hold off the ‘Bows for as long as possible, but Hawai’i took the team’s first lead since the opening minutes of the game on a Wahinekapu layup with 1:21 left in regulation. 

The Gauchos would go to their best scorer and one of the biggest stars of the entire tournament, Alexis Tucker, who got fouled with 6 seconds to go and cashed in on both free throws to give UCSB the lead, 59-58. 

A timeout by Coach Beeman advanced the ball to the front court, and a second timeout after good ball denial from the Gauchos gave Hawai’i one last chance to calm themselves and do what they had struggled to do until the final month of the season: finish the game. 

The ‘Bows did exactly that, running a picture-perfect give-and-go from Imani Perez to a cutting Phillips, who scored the layup through contact and drew the foul to give Hawai’i a two-point lead with 3.4 seconds remaining. 

“We’ve worked that play that we ran at the end of the game every day, that’s one of our plays,” Beeman smiled while sharing postgame. “And they executed it brilliantly.” 

A timeout from UC Santa Barbara advanced the ball to the front court for one more chance, but good ball denial from Hawai’i forced the Gauchos to go away from Tucker and see Choice have to chuck up a prayer from long distance that went off iron and was no good. 

An emotional ride for the Rainbow Wahine had paid off in a trip to the NCAA Tournament, officially, in that moment with a 61-59 win. 

More Than a Team

Everything about the 2022-23 Rainbow Wahine basketball team suggests that they are so much more than just another iteration of Hawai’i basketball. 

Coming into the season as the defending champions of the Big West tournament, the ‘Bows had to adjust to the loss of the Big West’s Player of the Year selection Amy Atwell due to graduation. On top of that, many young pieces would be stepping into bigger roles for Beeman and her staff. 

As if those challenges were not enough, injuries to key players on the Rainbow Wahine roster continued to happen as the season progressed. Unfortunately for the ‘Bows, as their season continued, their injured teammates’ ability to play would be shelved to next year. 

Three starters and more rotation players down, Hawai’i had to look themselves in the mirror and decide what the team wanted the season to be. A tough start to the season did not mean the end of the season, but if things were going to turn around, it needed to happen soon. 

The young ‘Bows were forced to grow up quickly, bonding closer with each other with every passing day. As the team grew closer, their ability to be honest and give feedback improved. Each day was the team helping one another get better. 

One issue continued to plague the team though: finishing games against top-level competition. 

The ‘Bows had lost a pair of heartbreakers to the Big West’s top two seeds, UC Irvine and Long Beach State, despite having chances to put away each team. 

“I think one of the pivotal points was after we lost the game on a last-second shot and we said, ‘we have to grow up and finish games’,” Beeman reflected on the journey of the season to this point. “[We] do that, you’ll win a championship.” 

Rainbow Wahine Head Coach Laura Beeman cuts down the net.

Then, it finally clicked in the final few weeks. It truly came on display last Saturday, March 4 against UCSB. Heading into the final frame in a dogfight, the ‘Bows decided they would not leave the Stan Sheriff that night without making sure they had finished as top dog.

The result was a 10-point win for the Rainbow Wahine, clinching the third seed as the team headed to Henderson, Nevada to defend their crown. 

The team was tested in the quarterfinals, as Cal State Fullerton gave the ‘Bows everything they could handle in a double-overtime game that saw Hawai’i survive. A rematch with Long Beach in the semifinals allowed for the Rainbow Wahine to avenge an earlier loss on the way to the championship. 

A 15-point halftime deficit was just another notch in the ‘Bows championship belt.

“They never lost faith in each other, they never lost faith in our process,” Beeman gleamed talking about her team. 

“[Dollar Loans Center] really feels like a home gym and that’s because of our fans, because of [the Hawai’i Pep Band], because of cheer, because of everyone who flew from the islands to support us,” Spiller chimed in. “Those are the people that we play for.” 

The Rainbow Wahine now await their first-round matchup in the NCAA Tournament after securing an automatic bid to the big dance. Selection Sunday begins on March 12 at 2:00 P.M. HST. 

Battle-Tested ‘Bows Take Down Long Beach to Reach 2nd Straight Big West Title Game

Battle-Tested ‘Bows Take Down Long Beach to Reach 2nd Straight Big West Title Game

Battle-Tested ‘Bows Take Down Long Beach to Reach 2nd Straight Big West Title Game 

BY PAUL BRECHT | HONOLULU
PUBLISHED MAR 10, 2023

HENDERSON, Nev. — Two games. Two nail-biters. Two Big West Tournament wins for the Rainbow Wahine. 

The 3-seed Hawai’i Rainbow Wahine took down 2-seed Long Beach State, 67-62, on Friday afternoon to advance to the program’s second straight Big West Tournament championship game. 

Laura Beeman’s ‘Bows will now look for their second straight conference title in a Saturday duel with 5-seed UC Santa Barbara, who was a 75-66 winner in the day’s other semifinal matchup.

Battle of the Beach and the ‘Bows 

The first half of the Big West’s second semifinal of Friday was one that resembled many of the matchups between Hawai’i and Long Beach State: hard-fought, physical and back-and-forth.

Five minutes into the contest and the two teams had combined for three made field goals and seven total points, as the Beach entered the game’s first media timeout with a 4-3 lead.

Though the ‘Bows dominated on the glass, LBSU won the turnover battle, 6-2, in the first quarter to hold a narrow one-point lead over Hawai’i after 10 minutes of play. 

The second quarter was more of the same, as Hawai’i continued to out-rebound the Beach but succumb to the pressure of LBSU to the tune of 10 first half giveaways.

With each team dominating in one area of the game, the two teams who played a 48-47 thriller back in mid-February looked even once again as they entered halftime knotted at 21 apiece.

To the credit of the Hawai’i defense, Big West Player of the Year Tori Harris managed just two first-half points on 1-of-9 shooting from the floor. While the ‘Bows had struggled offensively, the defense was up to the task.

The Rainbow Wahine took control of the game in the third quarter, using three straight 3-pointers to take a six-point lead and force an LBSU-timeout with 5:44 left in the period. While the Beach was able to calm down, the offenses both woke up in the quarter. 

Hawai’i entered the final 10 minutes leading by four, 46-42, and continued to play beautiful basketball through the quarter break to extend the lead to nine with under six minutes left in the fourth. 

Once again, LBSU turned on the jets defensively.

A bucket followed by a steal and another score cut the Rainbow Wahine lead to three, but the calming force of All-Big West selection Lily Wahinekapu would help guide the ‘Bows through the final couple minutes of play.

The Beach would not go away, fighting to cut the deficit to three, 65-62, after a Courtney Murphy 3-pointer with 2.1 seconds to play.

Hawai’i advanced the ball to the front court with a timeout and Daejah Phillips closed out the win with a layup at the buzzer, sending the Rainbow Wahine to Saturday’s championship game against UC Santa Barbara following the 67-62 win. 

Long Beach State was led by guard Kianna Hamilton-Fisher, who had 17 points while playing all 40 minutes of the game. Ma’Qhi Berry chipped in 13 points and six rebounds in the loss, as the Beach drops to 23-9 overall on the season.

Hawai’i was led once again by Wahinekapu, as the guard dropped 18 points to help propel her home school to the team’s second straight Big West title game and her first as a member of the Rainbow Wahine. Phillips filled up the box sheet with 14 points, four boards and four assists in the semifinal victory for the ‘Bows. 

The Rainbow Wahine now take on 5-seeded UC Santa Barbara with a chance at the program’s fourth Big West title and second consecutive championship on the line. The two teams met just a week ago in Honolulu, when the ‘Bows used a hot Wahinekapu fourth quarter to beat the Gauchos in the regular season finale, 68-58. 

Tip-off is at 1:00 PM HST and the game can be found streaming on ESPN+.

Cal State Fullerton Dispatches Hawai’i in Big West Quarterfinal Overtime Thriller

Cal State Fullerton Dispatches Hawai’i in Big West Quarterfinal Overtime Thriller

Cal State Fullerton Dispatches Hawai’i in Big West Quarterfinal Overtime Thriller

BY PAUL BRECHT | HONOLULU
PUBLISHED MAR 10, 2023

HENDERSON, N.V. — For the second time this season, the Hawai’i men’s basketball team fell to Cal State Fullerton in a tightly-contested game that went to overtime. Hawai’i lost on Thursday, 62-60.

It is the third time this season the Titans have beaten the ‘Bows and fourth consecutive win in the series for Fullerton. Hawai’i bowed out of the Big West Tournament last season after a loss to the Titans.

Turnovers, a problem in conference games early in the schedule, became an issue again for the ‘Bows as the fifth-seeded Rainbow Warriors had 18 giveaways compared to just 4 from the Titans. 

Defensive Chess Match: Titans vs Warriors

Coming into the game, Hawai’i and Cal State Fullerton ranked first and second in scoring defense this season for Big West teams. As Eran Ganot has said consistently throughout the season, every game against Big West opponents is a hard-fought battle. 

Thursday’s quarterfinal between the defending Big West Tournament champions and the ‘Bows would be more of the same.

Hawai’i started with a clear emphasis on getting the ball inside, trying to exploit the size advantage they had against the four-guard starting lineup of the Titans. It worked to the tune of a 9-1 lead for the ‘Bows just five minutes into the game. 

First-half fouls mixed with a rough half shooting the basketball by Hawai’i showed up for the rest of the half. Cal State Fullerton entered the single bonus with over 12 minutes remaining in the opening half of play and entered the double bonus with 6 minutes left in the first half. 

On top of their ability to draw contact going to the rim, the elite defensive team turned the ‘Bows over eight times compared to just one throw-away for the Titans through the first 20 minutes of play. Combined, Cal State Fullerton survived a first half in which they shot just 32% from the field and 22% from 3-point land to enter the break down one, 28-27.

Despite the turnovers and fouls, Hawai’i entered the locker rooms with wins in the rebounding margin and scoreboard. Much like the story for most of the season, the ‘Bows defense made up for a lackluster offensive output. 

Though the Rainbow Warriors continued to lead for much of regulation, the Titans continued to hang around within six points. A Samuta Avea bucket with 6:28 to go in regulation gave Hawai’i the lead, 50-49, but it would be the last ‘Bows basket until the 46 second mark.  

Fullerton once again stormed ahead, as Max Jones scored six of seven points as the Titans looked to close out the ‘Bows in regulation with a five-point lead and under a minute to go.

JoVon McClanahan hit a tough turn-around jumper to cut the lead to three with 46 seconds left, and the ‘Bows would get a defensive stop on a strange (albeit correct) shot clock violation call.

Following a Fullerton timeout with 5 seconds left, Hawai’i went to guard Noel Coleman. The Belgian southpaw got the defender to fly by with a shot fake, reset his feet and knocked down the game-tying triple at the buzzer to send the quarterfinal game to overtime. 

Oh No, Overtime…

The Hawai’i Rainbow Warriors kept their season alive a bit longer with the heroics of Coleman, but overtime once again proved to be an enemy of the ‘Bows. Hawai’i dropped to 0-3 this season in overtime games, two of which came at the hands of Fullerton.

McClanahan scored the first four points of overtime for the ‘Bows, but Jones hit a corner 3-pointer right in front of the Titans bench to tie the game at 60-all as the clock ticked under three minutes. 

The teams traded offensive fouls on the next couple of possessions before Latrell Wrightsell Jr. came up with the ball off another UH turnover to put Cal State Fullerton ahead by two with 1:13 left in overtime.

Avea could not get a 3-pointer to go down, but the ‘Bows got another stop and an opportunity to tie with McClanahan at the line for a pair of free throws and 3 seconds left on the clock.

McClanahan left the first shot short and was forced to intentionally miss the second, which was rebounded by the Titans as the clock expired.

Avea led the way for Hawai’i in likely his final game for his home school and home state, recording a double-double with 19 points and 10 rebounds. Coleman chipped in 14 points for the ‘Bows, including the huge 3-pointer to send the game to overtime. Kamaka Hepa had 7 points and 12 rebounds in what was his probable Hawai’i finale.

Max Jones was the catalyst in the comeback win for the Titans, chipping in 18 points and six rebounds. Wrightsell Jr., who had the game-winning basket for Fullerton, ended the afternoon with a double-double of his own with 14 points and 10 boards.

#4 Cal State Fullerton now advances to the Big West semifinals on Friday, March 10 to take on #1 UC Irvine. The Anteaters were 75-51 winners over CSU Bakersfield earlier on Thursday.

‘Bows Survive Double-Overtime Scare from Fullerton, Set Up Semifinals Showdown with Long Beach State

‘Bows Survive Double-Overtime Scare from Fullerton, Set Up Semifinals Showdown with Long Beach State

‘Bows Survive Double-Overtime Scare from Fullerton, Set Up Semifinals Showdown with Long Beach State 

BY PAUL BRECHT | HONOLULU
PUBLISHED MAR 9, 2023

HENDERSON, N.V. — Third-seeded Hawai’i women’s basketball escaped the quarterfinal round of the 2023 Big West tournament, beating six-seed Cal State Fullerton, 82-75 in double-overtime.

It was the third time this season that the Rainbow Wahine took down the Titans, though it took everything and the kitchen sink to get by Fullerton this time. 

Regulation of Runs

After a trio of wild finishes in the other quarterfinals of the day, the Titans and Rainbow Wahine matchup was no different. The two teams traded blows back and forth throughout the first 40 minutes of play, each taking turns at the lead. 

Hawai’i forward Kallin Spiller started out hot, scoring the ‘Bows first seven points as they sparred with the Titans in the early minutes. Unfortunately for the Rainbow Wahine, the rest of the offense struggled a bit to get going. 

“We just came out flat,” Hawai’i head coach Laura Beeman said at halftime.

Behind six points from each Una Jovanovic and Ashlee Lewis, Cal State Fullerton ended the opening frame with a four-point advantage, 17-13.

Back-to-back 3-pointers by the Titans to open the second quarter saw the six-seed have the lead grow to 10, but Hawai’i’s Meilani McBee knocked down a pair of triples on back-to-back possessions for the ‘Bows to cut the lead back to 4.

Early on, every Rainbow Wahine run was answered with timely baskets from the Titans. As the first half clock ran down, it was the ‘Bows turn to take over the game with a run and timely defensive stops. Hawai’i ended the half on a 12-2 run, heading into the locker rooms with a 33-30 lead.

The ‘Bows came out of the locker room looking to continue their late 1st half success, pushing the lead up to seven before the Titans came storming back once again to take the lead late in the third quarter. 

Behind the lively and passionate play of forward Ashlee Lewis, Fullerton was ready to make the game a dog fight until the very end. Fighting for loose ball after loose ball, Lewis also chipped in a few buckets and nice defensive plays to help the Titans grab a 42-41 lead.

A Lily Wahinekapu 3-pointer gave Hawai’i a four-point lead again late in the third, but a Fujika Nimmo layup cut the Rainbow Wahine lead to just two as the teams headed into the fourth quarter.

The teams traded baskets back and forth throughout the fourth quarter to go between a one-possession game to tied until an Imani Perez layup with just under 90 seconds to play in regulation gave the ‘Bows a four-point lead once again.

A late turnover by Hawai’i led to a foul, allowing Cal State Fullerton to tie the game at the free throw line with 47 seconds left. Daejah Phillips looked like the hero for the ‘Bows, cashing in on the go-ahead free throws with 36 seconds to go, but the Titans drew a foul at the other end to knot it at 59-all.

McBee got a look at the regulation buzzer for Hawai’i but left it short as the ‘Bows got into the offense a little later than they might have liked. 

Extra Time Excitement

After 40 minutes of battle, it would have been perfectly reasonable for either team to look a little tired as the game entered the first overtime period. The day had been long, starting with another double-overtime game in the upset win for nine-seeded CSU Bakersfield over top-seed UC Irvine.

As the ball was tossed in the air for the second time on Thursday night in the Hawai’i versus Cal State Fullerton quarterfinal matchup, a new viewer would have thought the game was just beginning.

Effort levels remained high, teams both fighting for extra opportunities on the offensive glass and working to create and control loose balls. A four-point lead for Hawai’i with under three minutes in the first overtime quickly dissipated and turned into a three-point lead for the Titans with 25 seconds left in the game. 

Following a Hawai’i timeout, the ‘Bows looked back to McBee for a big-time shot to give the Rainbow Wahine another chance to win in another overtime period. A hammer-action offensive set on the out of bounds saw Phillips get a hand-off and throw a beautiful pass along the baseline to a wide open McBee in the opposite corner for the game-tying 3-pointer.

The second overtime saw the ‘Bows take a five-point lead midway through the period, but free throws would help seal the deal for Hawai’i as the Rainbow Wahine sunk the Titans, 82-75.

Cal State Fullerton was led by Lewis, who had 22 points and 9 rebounds in the quarterfinal defeat. Jovanovic chipped in 16 points for the Titans, who close the season with a 14-16 overall record.

Hawai’i, the Big West Tournament’s defending champion, was led by Lily Wahinekapu’s 20 points, 8 rebounds, 5 assists and 3 steals. McBee, who missed the 3-pointer to win in regulation but hit the 3-pointer to keep the ‘Bows alive, finished the night with 14 points with three huge 3-pointers.

The Rainbow Wahine now advances to the Big West semifinals, where they will take on two-seed Long Beach State. The last time those two squads met was on February 18, when the Beach stole one in Honolulu, 48-47.

The semifinal matchup between the two will be Friday at 2:30 PM HST, broadcast on EPSN+.