Laura Beeman believes her Hawaii team stumbled onto the right kind of identity during Wednesday night’s exhibition against Hawaii Hilo.

Sarah Toeaina scored 13 points, Makenna Woodfolk put together 11 points and 12 rebounds and the preseason result was never in doubt as six Rainbow Wahine scored in double figures during an 85-34 win over the Vulcans at the Stan Sheriff Center.

“The biggest thing … we shared the ball,” Beeman said. “We had 18 assists on 31 field goals, and that doesn’t happen often. It’s something we struggled with (in practices) coming into tonight … we haven’t found the extra pass or chosen to give the ball up. Tonight we did. And if that’s going to be part of who we become this year, we can have a lot of success offensively.”

The Wahine were without their returning point guard Olivia Crawford, who was absent from the bench for undisclosed reasons, dropping UH’s available players to 10. Beeman expressed hope she’d be back for the Nov. 10 regular-season opener at Portland.

UH started two Division I transfers, Tia Kanoa (Arizona State) and Rachel Odumu (Monmouth), to go with returnees Toeaina, Lahni Salanoa and freshman center Lauren Rewers.

“I said a really cheesy analogy,” Odumu (11 points) said of getting back on the court after a redshirt year. “It’s like coming out and chipping the ice off a frozen mammoth. When you would do that, I don’t know.”

UH’s massive size advantage led to a 47-24 rebounding disparity, while Kanoa directed her way to five assists and one turnover.

The Wahine scored the game’s first nine points and led 24-9 after a quarter. They opened the second period on a 10-0 run and held a 39-11 halftime lead. It swelled to 62-27 after three.

UH’s top defensive highlight came in the second, when the 6-foot-4 Rewers stuffed 5-9 Kim Schmelz where she stood and took the ball out of the air.

Hilo, picked 10th in the 14-team PacWest, shot 22.6 percent to UH’s 52.5. The Vulcans were led by Schmelz with seven points.

UH guard Courtney Middap, forward Mackenzie Clinch Hoycard and center Taylor Donohue were out with injuries, while forward Keleah-Aiko Koloi is no longer on the team for undisclosed reasons.