Texas A&M began its two-day run on the North Shore by overpowering a Hawaii team at the end of a grueling stretch.
Coming off a Thursday schedule packed with practice, a Pearl Harbor visit and a luau, the Aggies shot 54 percent on Friday and harried the Rainbow Wahine basketball team into turnovers that fueled an 82-41 rout at the Cannon Activities Center in Laie.
Twelfth-ranked Texas A&M (6-1) came away with 15 steals and scored 37 points off of UH turnovers while committing just five in its opening game in the Tom Weston Classic hosted by BYU Hawaii.
While Texas A&M’s length and quickness on the perimeter gave the Wahine (4-5) fits in starting their offense, UH coach Laura Beeman was more concerned with UH’s self-inflicted miscues following a fourth straight loss.
“We knew their athleticism was going to be challenging and their speed was going to be challenging,” Beeman said. “There was a rough spell where we turned it over based on their pressure, but still we had about 12 unforced errors, again.”
Friday’s loss capped a run of five games — including three against nationally ranked teams — in eight days for the Rainbow Wahine. They’ll take the weekend off and return to the Stan Sheriff Center on Thursday for an exhibition game against BYUH.
“I think for us it’s a big learning experience,” UH senior Ashleigh Karaitiana said. “It’s a good experience for the freshmen learning how to play against very experienced guards and posts. It’s a good experience for the seniors to learn we need to be better leaders.”
Courtney Williams, an All-SEC guard, and 6-foot-5 center Khaalia Hillsman led Texas A&M with 12 points each and guard Courtney Walker and center Rachel Mitchell, a 6-7 senior, both finished with 10 points. Walker’s final line included seven assists, four steals and no turnovers in 24 minutes.
UH also had the misfortune of catching the Aggies coming off a 95-80 loss to No. 10 Ohio State the Saturday prior.
“We had two (steals) in our last game against Ohio State and we played man. That’s how we were not moving our feet against a top-10 team and we got our lunch handed to us there,” Texas A&M coach Gary Blair said after picking up career win No. 701. “That was a good wake-up call.”
Senior center Kalei Adolpho led UH for the second consecutive game with 12 points for the Wahine, who went 0-for-13 from 3-point range and shot 32 percent from the field overall.
Texas A&M bolted away from the Wahine with a 22-2 run bridging the first and second quarters and led 39-15 at halftime, with 23 points coming off of UH turnovers.
“The unforced turnovers are killing us, and then against a team that is so athletic and fast, very difficult to get shots off,” Beeman said. “You have to be a little bit creative and we weren’t getting the ball where it needed to go quick enough and we weren’t able to get our feet set.
“They’re a very disciplined, very well-organized team. I think it’s the best team we’ve seen all season.”
While the Wahine made the drive back to Manoa after the game, Texas A&M has one more day on the North Shore and will close the tournament against BYU at 2 p.m. today before returning to College Station.
“I think our kids were really ready, they’re very grateful to our administration sending us to Hawaii. It’s the first time our kids have ever been here,” Blair said. “First time I’ve ever been (to the North Shore). I wish I could take two days off and just watch the surfing.”
Texas A&M 82, Hawaii 41
| Aggies (6-1) |
|
MIN |
FG-A |
FT-A |
R |
A |
PF |
PTS |
| Hillsman |
21 |
6-8 |
0-2 |
1 |
0 |
3 |
12 |
| C. Williams |
25 |
6-12 |
0-0 |
6 |
2 |
2 |
12 |
| Lumpkin |
18 |
2-5 |
0-0 |
4 |
0 |
3 |
14 |
| Jones |
22 |
3-7 |
2-3 |
2 |
6 |
1 |
8 |
| Walker |
24 |
5-11 |
0-0 |
3 |
7 |
1 |
10 |
| Cooper |
16 |
1-2 |
0-0 |
2 |
1 |
0 |
3 |
| Howard |
8 |
3-6 |
0-0 |
5 |
2 |
4 |
6 |
| Allen |
7 |
2-3 |
1-2 |
1 |
2 |
2 |
6 |
| Knox |
9 |
1-2 |
0-0 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
2 |
| D. Williams |
15 |
1-1 |
0-0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
3 |
| Jennings |
14 |
3-7 |
0-0 |
3 |
1 |
1 |
6 |
| Mitchell |
19 |
5-7 |
0-2 |
3 |
0 |
1 |
10 |
| Serna |
2 |
0-0 |
0-0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
| TEAM |
|
|
|
1 |
|
| TOTALS |
200 |
38-71 |
3-9 |
35 |
24 |
19 |
82 |
| Rainbow Wahine (4-5) |
|
MIN |
FG-A |
FT-A |
R |
A |
PF |
PTS |
| Toeaina |
24 |
1-5 |
2-2 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
4 |
| Karaitiana |
32 |
4-9 |
0-0 |
7 |
2 |
1 |
8 |
| Adolpho |
23 |
4-7 |
4-8 |
2 |
1 |
2 |
12 |
| Morris |
13 |
2-3 |
0-2 |
2 |
0 |
1 |
4 |
| King |
20 |
1-3 |
7-8 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
9 |
| Kennedy |
6 |
0-0 |
0-0 |
2 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
| Wimbley |
16 |
0-2 |
0-0 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
| Harris |
9 |
1-3 |
0-0 |
4 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
| Salanoa |
16 |
0-3 |
0-0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
| Crawford |
15 |
0-3 |
0-0 |
0 |
1 |
2 |
0 |
| Huff |
26 |
1-6 |
0-0 |
7 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
| TEAM |
|
|
|
6 |
| TOTALS |
200 |
14-44 |
13-20 |
35 |
9 |
13 |
41 |
| Halftime — Texas A&M 39, Hawaii 15 |
3-points goals — Texas A&M 3-5 (Allen 1-1, D. Williams 1-1, Cooper 1-2, C. Williams 0-1). Hawaii 0-13 (Huff 0-1, Crawford 0-1, Salanoa 0-2, Harris 0-2, Wimbley 0-2, Toeaina 0-2, Karaitiana 0-3). Steals — Texas A&M 15 (Walker 4, Howard 3, Lumpkin 2, D. Williams 2, Jones, Allen, Knox, Jennings. Hawaii 2 (Adolpho, Salanoa). Blocked shots — Texas A&M 3 (Lumpkin, Howard, D. Williams). Hawaii 3 (Karaitiana 2, Adolpho). Turnovers — Texas A&M 5 (Lumpkin 2, Hillsman, C. Williams, D. Williams). Hawaii 23 (King 5, Harris 5, Salanoa 4, Huff 3, Karaitiana 2, Adolpho 2, Toeaina, Crawford). Technical fouls — none. Officials — Ashley Ellis, Laura Rahe, Ken Sowby. A—150.
