MeiLani McBee set the Hawaii women’s basketball school record for games played Saturday while one of her best traits was tested severely.
The fifth-year Rainbow Wahine wing surpassed Amy Atwell by playing in her 127th game wearing a UH uniform in Saturday’s 46-42 win over UC Irvine, despite being among several players battling a sickness before the game that nearly left her unable to play.
Instead, she managed to give the Rainbow Wahine 33 minutes in playing in her 110th consecutive game, making her one of the most durable players Laura Beeman has ever coached.
“We were talking as a staff and we mentioned MeiLani with a couple of other players and said if anyone could fight through any kind of illness, it would be MeiLani McBee,” Beeman said Tuesday before the team departed for a California road trip. “That kid has just been grit from day one. She’s missed very few practices, if any. She is made of nails, bleeds green and has the heart of a stone.”
McBee played more minutes than anybody else Saturday as Beeman rode her starting lineup to a seventh consecutive win. After an 0-2 conference start, Hawaii has a share of the lead with the Anteaters and Long Beach State heading into tonight’s game at UC San Diego (10-11, 6-3).
After holding the last two opponents to a combined 28.2% shooting, UH is second in the country in field-goal percentage defense at 33.2%.
UH is fifth in the nation allowing 52.6 points per game and has held 15 of its 19 opponents under 40% shooting. Hawaii is 13-2 in those games.
“We just all know that defense brings our energy,” backup guard Kelsie Imai said. “I know for me, when I get a stop, I get more excited than when I score.”
No team during Hawaii’s winning streak has scored more than 50 points.
“I don’t know if I’ve ever coached teams that have been labeled warm and fuzzy. I’ve probably coached more teams that have been a lot more blue-collar and a lot more gritty,” Beeman said. “I just think that’s a reflection of this coaching staff. I know it’s a reflection of how I played. I wasn’t a great player, but I worked real hard. Someone wasn’t going to out-work me. They weren’t going to out-hustle me.”
The Tritons enter tonight’s game with the second-longest current active winning streak in the Big West at four games.
UCSD, which finished its four-year reclassification period to Division I last summer and is eligible for postseason for the first time since joining the Big West in 2020, ranks third in the conference averaging 64.2 points per game.
The Tritons, who won the first three meetings against UH in a series that started in 2022, have lost the last three.
Sophomore guard Sumayah Sugapong was named the Big West Player of the Week for the third time on Monday and leads the team with 13.7 points per game, 3.9 assists per game and 52 steals.
The Tritons as a team lead the conference and are 22nd nationally with 11.8 steals per game.
UH is seventh in the conference with 15.7 turnovers a game and its opponents average 15.6.
“I think the main thing is just making sure we’re still following all of our defensive principles and moving the ball on offense, sharing the ball, and keeping the streak going,” Imai said. “We have a pretty good vibe right now and that’s what is making us play well.”
Hawaii finishes the road trip Saturday at noon at Cal State Fullerton. (4-16, 2-8) to begin the second half of league play.
UH beat the Titans at home earlier this month, 54-44.
RAINBOW WAHINE BASKETBALL
Hawaii (13-6, 7-2 Big West) vs. UC San Diego (10-11, 6-3)
>> Today, 5 p.m.
>> LionTree Arena, La Jolla, Calif.
Hawaii vs. Cal State Fullerton (4-16, 2-8)
>> Saturday, Noon
>> Titan Gym, Fullerton, Calif.
Stream: ESPN+
Radio: None