HENDERSON, Nev. >> A menacing defense and key outside shooting lifted the Hawaii women’s basketball team to a 67-62 victory over Long Beach State and into the championship game of the Big West Tournament.

The second-seeded Beach won both regular-season meetings between the teams. But before a UH-partisan crowd in the Dollar Loan Center, the Rainbow Wahine were able to find gaps in the Beach’s 1-3-1 zone and eventual full-court press. The Wahine hit five 3s in the third quarter to create separation from a 21-all tie at the half.

Lily Wahinekapu led the Wahine with 18 points. The Wahine will face fifth seed UC Santa Barbara in Saturday’s 1 p.m. final. The Gauchos defeated ninth seed Cal State Bakersfield 75-66 in the earlier semifinal.

The Beach entered hitting 31.2% of their 3-point attempts. But they missed 18 of their first 23 shots from behind the arc before connecting on two late 3s when the outcome was essentially decided.