For all of the accomplishments in a landmark conference season, one task eluded the University of Hawaii women’s basketball program in 2022.
A win over UC San Diego.
In their second season of Big West membership, the Tritons accounted for two of UH’s three conference losses last season. The Rainbow Wahine overcame UCSD’s sweep of the season series to pair the Big West regular season and tournament titles for the first time in program history.
Now off to a 2-0 start to conference play, the Rainbow Wahine (4-7 overall) will take another shot at earning a Big West victory over UCSD when they host the Tritons (4-8, 1-1) tonight in their first game in SimpliFi Arena at Stan Sheriff Center since Dec. 11.
UH will close the homestand on Saturday against Cal State Fullerton.
After falling to 1-7 with a 76-66 loss to UNLV in their last home appearance, the ’Bows swept a three-game holiday season season road trip starting with a pre-Christmas win at San Jose State and last week’s victories at UC Davis and Cal Poly to close out 2022 and open conference play.
UH struggled in a 14-point first half against Cal Poly on New Year’s Eve, but rallied behind forward Kallin Spiller’s 18 points on 6-for-8 shooting, including a career-high three 3-pointers in the 50-47 win.
“Our preseason record I personally think didn’t reflect the talent of the team,” Spiller said. “I think we had a lot of great teams that we played and they challenged us and now those experiences are going to help us as we face tough battles in the Big West.”
Spiller ranks second in the Big West with 8.4 rebounds per game and is third on the team in averaging 8.5 points. Along with providing a presence in the post, she’s drained 13 3-pointers, trailing only guard Lily Wahinekapu’s 15 on the team chart.
“We know she can shoot the 3, we know she can post up and her consistency is huge for us,” UH coach Laura Beeman said. “She loves the role she has right now, so that helps.”
Hawaii has won its last 10 games against Big West competition, including last season’s conference tournament, since a 62-60 loss to UC San Diego last Feb. 17 in Manoa. UH trailed 46-32 after three quarters, stormed back to tie the game with 26 seconds left only to have UCSD guard Julia Macabuhay hit the game winner to cap a 20-point performance.
Macabuhay, a 5-foot-6 senior, enters today’s meeting with UH averaging 7.2 points and scored a season-high 15 in UCSD’s 68-58 win over UC Santa Barbara last Saturday in La Jolla, Calif.
Sydney Brown, a 6-foot guard/forward, leads the Tritons in averaging 13.4 points and seven rebounds per game.
“Offensively, they have undersized posts that are going to be able to take us off the dribble and catch and shoot 3s,” Beeman said. “They transition very, very well, and they have big guards that can post us up.
“Their action is based on reads, so if your’e not on point defensively, they’ll turn that against you.”
The coaching matchup will feature Beeman opposite a member of the VanDerveer family for the second time this season. The ’Bows fell to No. 2 Stanford, coached by Tara VanDerveer, on Nov. 27, and Heidi VanDerveer is in her 11th year at UCSD.
“Heidi does an exceptional job of reading analytics and she plays those analytics until you prove her wrong,” Beeman said. “So we’re going to see a lot of different coverages based on our players. Our players know that and they have to step up and be ready to play some good team basketball offensively.”
As the coaches engage in a schematic duel on the sidelines, Beeman noted the development of UH’s on-court leadership as a key to building on the program’s first 2-0 start to a conference season since the 2002-03 season.
“Our leadership is coming and it was really great to see it today,” Beeman said following Wednesday’s practice.
“A lot more communication, a lot more talk, and lot more holding people accountable. That will keep us playing consistent basketball. If we have inconsistent leadership we are going to be a hot-and-cold, Jekyll-and-Hyde type of team.”
BIG WEST WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
At SimpliFi Arena at Stan Sheriff Center
UC San Diego (4-8, 1-1 BWC) vs. Hawaii (4-7, 2-0)
>> When: Today, 7 p.m.
>> TV: Spectrum Sports
>> Radio: 1500-AM
