ANAHEIM, CALIF. >> Game planning for Hawaii’s superior size in the Big West generally doesn’t factor in the Rainbow Wahine entering record-breaking territory from 3-point range.
There’s simply no way to account for both.
UH put Long Beach State in a no-win situation at the Honda Center on Friday. The Rainbow Wahine dominated the interior and sizzled from long range in a 76-60 victory, earning a second straight appearance in the Big West tournament title game.
The second-seeded Wahine (20-10) won for the 10th time in 11 games and face No. 4 UC Davis (19-12) in today’s 1 p.m. championship. One more victory nets the program its first NCAA tournament appearance since 1998.
UH looks to build on the incremental strides it’s made under fourth-year coach Laura Beeman in the league tournament. UH lost 67-60 to Cal State Northridge in last year’s final.
“I think experience is the best teacher always,” Beeman said. “And to be a team that’s been here last year, you have the confidence. We know what the gym feels like, smells like, looks like. The nerves are going to be there … but it’s going to be a little different set of nerves than it was last year.”
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UH (20-10) hit a season-high 12 3-pointers in 26 attempts (46.2 percent), led by senior guard Marissa Wimbley’s 6-for-9 effort. Wimbley tied the program record for 3-point makes with her career-high 18 points.
“We know the feeling,” Wimbley said. “We know what we can do. And I think we’re more experienced. A lot of the lower-classmen look up to us, the upperclassmen. I think that’s what allows us to stay balanced and composed and poised.”
Meanwhile, Destiny King snagged 10 rebounds and Megan Huff eight to spearhead a 41-17 demolition of the undersized 49ers on the glass.
“I think we just came into the game with the mind-set that we’re bigger than them,” said Huff, the Big West’s Best Sixth Player. “And that in order to win, we have to dominate the boards. Even if scoring wasn’t working or whatever, we know we have to rebound.”
Well, scoring was working.
Ashleigh Karaitiana put in 13 points, and Huff and Sarah Toeaina added 12 apiece for the Wahine.
Point guard Olivia Crawford (seven assists, no turnovers) banked in a contested long 2-point shot at the halftime buzzer, and UH took a 36-24 lead at the break.
LBSU drew to within four points on a Raven Benton basket midway through the third quarter. Benton scored a game-high 27 points.
But UH responded with a 3 by Briana Harris, and Wimbley and Karaitiana hit from long range to extend the lead back to double digits by the end of the period.
UH protected its lead throughout the fourth, never allowing The Beach closer than 13.
Long Beach (24-8) hit the Wahine with plenty of fullcourt pressure and forced 18 turnovers but was unable to outscore UH decisively in points off giveaways. UH broke the press without trouble more often than not.
UH just seems to have LBSU’s number. The Wahine swept The Beach all three games this season, running the series streak to seven overall.
“We wanted to see if Hawaii could beat us from the perimeter, and that’s what they did,” LBSU coach Jody Wynn said. “They stepped up. Wimbley had the game of her life. I just want to say they’re a darn good team when they’re clicking on all cylinders like that. Destroyed us off the boards and knocked it down from the 3-point line.”
Davis got to the title game by stunning top-seeded UC Riverside 81-72 in Friday’s first semifinal. The Highlanders got 36 points from Big West Player of the Year Brittany Crain, but the Aggies shot 10-for-12 in the fourth quarter to seize the comeback victory and put a damper on UCR’s 16-0 run through the regular season.
The Wahine split their regular-season series with the Aggies, each winning on their home court.
“You know, we planned on being in the championship,” Beeman said. “That’s the confidence you need this time of year. So we’ve been planning to play Davis or Riverside. Davis is a very good team; they’re very balanced; they play outside; they’ve got size. We split with them this year, so it’s going to be a very, very good game tomorrow. Two teams that are pretty hungry.”
Wimbley’s six 3s tied for fourth-most in Big West tournament records, while UH’s team total tied for sixth-most in a BWC tourney game.
Hawaii 76, long beach state 60
49ers (24-8)
MIN
FG-A
FT-A
R
A
PF
PTS
Montgomery
30
3-9
1-2
4
0
3
8
Sawyer
36
4-10
1-2
2
0
1
10
Benton
34
10-20
5-7
2
2
3
27
Kim
26
2-4
0-0
2
2
2
4
Wilson
24
1-2
1-2
2
0
2
3
Gertz
10
0-0
0-0
0
0
0
0
Jackson
13
1-1
0-0
2
1
1
2
Hascheff
27
2-3
2-2
1
2
2
6
TEAM
2
TOTALS
200
23-49
10-15
17
7
14
60
RAINBOW WAHINE (20-10)
MIN
FG-A
FT-A
R
A
PF
PTS
Adolpho
16
0-2
0-0
3
0
2
0
Toeaina
23
6-9
0-0
3
2
2
12
Crawford
30
2-5
0-0
1
7
2
5
Karaitiana
34
4-9
2-2
4
2
3
13
King
30
3-9
2-2
10
5
2
8
Wimbley
27
6-9
0-0
5
3
3
18
Harris
11
2-5
0-0
4
0
3
6
Huff
23
3-6
6-8
8
0
1
12
Morris
6
1-1
0-0
1
0
0
2
TEAM
2
TOTALS
200
27-55
10-12
41
19
18
76
Key — fg-a: field goals made-attempted; ft-a: free throws made-attempted; r: rebounds; pf: personal fouls; pts: total points; a: assists; to: turnovers; min: minutes played.
Long Beach State
12
12
18
18
—
47
Hawaii
18
18
21
19
—
68
3-point goals — Long Beach State 4-14 (Benton 2-6, Montgomery 1-3, Sawyer 1-4, Hascheff 0-1). Hawaii 12-26 (Wimbley 6-9, Karaitiana 3-8, Harris 2-4, Crawford 1-3, Toeaina 0-2). Steals — Long Beach State 7 (Montgomery 3, Benton 2, Kim, Wilson). Hawaii 6 (Huff 2, King 2, Toeaina, Crawford). Blocked shots — Long Beach State 2 (Montgomery 2). Hawaii 2 (Huff, Morris). Turnovers — Long Beach State 11 (Benton 4, Montgomery 2, Hascheff 2, Jackson, Sawyer, Kim). Hawaii 18 (Toeaina 4, Harris 4, Karaitiana 3, King 3, Huff 2, Adolpho, TEAM). Technical fouls — none. Officials — Kent Johnson, Jack Jones, Kim Hobbs. A–1,048.