Preparing for a second three-day tournament in as many weekends meant Laura Beeman spent the holiday watching film in her office.
But it’s not only the quantity of games keeping the Hawaii women’s basketball coach busy.
After facing current No. 1 Stanford and No. 3 Baylor last week, the quality of competition dips only slightly in the Waikiki Beach Marriott Rainbow Wahine Showdown.
The Rainbow Wahine (1-3) continue their grueling early-season run by hosting Oregon tonight, Arkansas on Saturday and No. 13 Oklahoma on Sunday. Arkansas (3-0) and Oklahoma (2-1) reached the second round of the NCAA tournament last season. Oregon (0-2) will test the Wahine tonight with an up-tempo attack choreographed by famed coach Paul Westhead.
WAIKIKI BEACH MARRIOTT RAINBOW WAHINE SHOWDOWN At Stan Sheriff Center
>> Today: Arkansas (3-0) vs. No. 13 Oklahoma (2-1), 2 p.m.; Oregon (0-2) vs. Hawaii (1-3), 4:30. >> Saturday: Arkansas vs. Hawaii, noon; Oklahoma vs. Oregon, 2 p.m. >> Sunday: Oregon vs. Arkansas, noon; Oklahoma vs. Hawaii, 2:30 p.m.
|
"I don’t think we’ll be nervous like we were against Stanford and Baylor," Beeman said. "It’s just going to be that we’re going to have to execute against girls that are bigger, faster and stronger again."
The Wahine — led so far this season by forward Kamilah Martin’s 12.5 points and 9.8 rebounds per game — picked up their first win of the season last week before losing to Stanford and Baylor by a combined 62 points. Still there were signs of growth in facing two of the nation’s elite teams.
"I felt we competed and we were able to do good things and execute against them in spots," UH point guard Monica DeAngelis said. "We didn’t play a perfect game all 40 minutes, no one does, but I think it gave us confidence."
The Wahine will have ample opportunity to work off the holiday meals, facing Oregon today at 4:30 p.m. at the Stan Sheriff Center.
Westhead — known for his high-scoring system that piled up points with the Los Angeles Lakers, at Loyola Marymount and more recently in the WNBA — is in his fourth season at Oregon. The Ducks scored 118 and 105 points in two exhibition wins, but have been limited to an eight-player rotation due to injuries.
In Oregon’s last game, an 87-85 double overtime loss to Portland State on Nov. 15, freshman Jillian Alleyne scored a school-record 38 points and set a Pac-12 record with 27 rebounds. The Ducks attempted 85 shots in both losses to Saint Mary’s (when they took 45 3-pointers) and Portland State. In comparison, UH averaged just under 51 shots over its first four games.
"We’ve got our work cut out as far as getting up and down the floor and trying to have legs for the next two days," said Beeman, who coached against Westhead in the WNBA and again while at USC.
"We’re going to have to execute, learn to slow it down when we’re supposed to slow it down, hit good, high-percentage shots. Then we’re going to have to get back on defense and we’re going to have to match up and find 3-point shooters."
Oklahoma and Arkansas open the tournament today at 2.
The 13th-ranked Sooners have made a Big 12-record 13 consecutive NCAA tournament appearances and are led by 5-foot-7 guard Aaryn Ellenberg’s 18.7 points per game, followed by 6-1 guard Whitney Hand’s 14.7 points. The Sooners start 6-6 junior Nicole Griffin (11.7 ppg, 4.7 rpg) in the post.
Arkansas forward Quistelle Williams leads four Razorbacks averaging double-figure scoring with 15.3 points per game and a team-best 8.3 rebounds.