A senior night crowd of 2,646 people were well aware of MeiLani McBee’s pursuit of the Hawaii women’s basketball career 3-point record.
A noticeable buzz in the arena started going as McBee missed three straight attempts over 46 seconds late in the third quarter of Saturday’s 62-36 win over Cal State Northridge.
Undeterred, with screams of “shoot it” coming from the stands, the fifth-year senior, in her final home game, finally got one to drop and then broke Amy Atwell’s record of 205 made 3’s with a swish from the left wing with 7:07 remaining in the game.
McBee turned to run down the court and pointed her fingers to the roof before a chest bump with fellow senior Lily Wahinekapu that highlighted Hawaii’s final game of the regular season at SimpliFi Arena at Stan Sheriff Center.
McBee, who was substituted out of the game seconds later, leads the team with 46 made 3-pointers this season.
“I’m just glad I was able to get it on the home court,” McBee said. “Thursday was a tough one. I think my nerves got to me. Knowing that my family was in the crowd and knowing I don’t have that much time … (Coach Laura) Beeman always says, ‘let it come natural,’ and that’s what I did today.”
Hawaii honored six players on senior night and started five of them — McBee, Wahinekapu, guards Kelsie Imai and Mia ‘Uhila and forward Brooklyn Rewers.
Hallie Birdsong, a four-year walk-on, started the second half for the Rainbow Wahine, who finished the regular season 22-8 overall and 16-4 in Big West play to earn the No. 1 seed in next week’s Big West Conference Tournament in Henderson, Nev.
The victory ensured that UH won the regular-season title outright. UC Irvine, the No. 2 seed in the Big West tournament which lost twice to UH, finished one game back.
“Every senior night brings something so remarkable, so different, and each one of them talked about how special each one was to each other,” Beeman said. “That’s what I take out of this is the love each one has for each other.”
Wahinekapu scored a game-high 18 points with four rebounds, two steals, and two assists and Rewers finished with seven points and a career-high 13 rebounds against the Matadors (4-25, 2-18).
Wahinekapu’s final play before she was substituted out for the last time was a steal and assist to Birdsong, who scored a basket for the second time this season.
Her other made shot, a 3-pointer, also came against the Matadors.
“That’s what got me. I was fine. I was fine until she scored and then I started crying on the sidelines,” Beeman said. “I don’t know if I have ever cried on the sidelines during the game. Perfect exclamation point to a great night.”
Imai added nine points, seven rebounds and three assists and McBee added six rebounds and two steals.
Wahinekapu, who also assisted on the McBee 3 to set the record, shot 6-for-11 from the field and will end up leading the team in scoring for a third consecutive season.
Hawaii finished 46-14 in three seasons of conference play with Wahinekapu on the team.
“A little emotional. This place has helped me build my character and has watched me grow up, so doing this one last time, with everybody, my family, all of the support from all over Hawaii here, it means so much to me. I’m so glad I came back home to play,” Wahinekapu said. “When (McBee) made that 3, I had the chills. To (set the record) like that was so amazing.”
Cal State Northridge forward Nnenna Orji, who played three seasons at UH and was on two Big West championship teams, led CSUN with 15 points and made the game’s first basket on an and-1 in the paint.
The Matadors missed their next 15 shots and trailed 15-4 at the end of the first quarter.
The Rainbow Wahine increased the lead to 27-12 at halftime holding the Matadors to 14% shooting (4-for-29) from the field. CSUN missed all 15 3-point attempts and turned the ball over 11 times, leading to eight UH points.
UH outscored CSUN in every quarter and finished the game with 10 players scoring.
The Rainbow Wahine open play in the Big West Tournament in the semifinals on Friday at 9 a.m. Hawaii time.
