Hawaii Women’s Basketball Triumphs Over Adversity in San Luis Obispo
The Hawaii women’s basketball team faced multiple challenges, including injuries, illnesses, and an early game start time in San Luis Obispo, California. Despite these setbacks, the Rainbow Wahine proved their resilience with a 62-50 victory against the Cal Poly Mustangs at Mott Athletics Center on Saturday afternoon. This marked UH’s first Big West win of the 2024-25 season.
Coach Beeman Proud of Players’ Determination
In a postgame interview with Spectrum News, Coach Laura Beeman shared that several team members had spent the previous two nights in urgent care as illness spread among the players. “Thursday’s loss to UC Santa Barbara was disappointing,” Beeman remarked. “But considering how banged up and sick we are, it was impressive for the team to bounce back and execute effectively today.”
Key Players Shine in Victory
Point guard Lily Wahinekapu led the scoring with 14 points and recorded a season-high seven assists. Wing MeiLani McBee contributed significantly by hitting three 3-pointers and scoring a season-best 14 points. Additionally, center Brooklyn Rewers provided a crucial spark off the bench with 11 points. This victory ended UH’s three-game losing streak and extended their winning streak over Cal Poly to seven games, including five consecutive wins at Mott Athletics Center.
Overcoming Adversity
The Wahine were still without starting forward Imani Perez and backup guards Kelsie Imai and Danijela Kujovic due to injuries but welcomed back guard Jovi Lefotu, who had missed three games. “With the game starting at 1 p.m. local time on top of everything else, I expected more mental fatigue,” Beeman noted. “However, the players showed resilience, improving on rebounding (+10) and executing a solid 3-point defense, allowing the Mustangs to shoot only 20% from beyond the arc.”
Second Quarter Surge
After trailing by three at the end of the first quarter, when the Mustangs hit four 3-pointers, the Wahine roared back in the second period, outscoring Cal Poly 19-5 and holding a 32-21 lead at halftime. In the fourth quarter, guard Mia ‘Uhila played a vital role by scoring seven points, helping UH maintain their lead as the Mustangs threatened to close the gap.
Improving Inside Play
The Wahine focused on getting the ball to their post players, Rewers and starter Ritorya Tamilo, with varying success. Rewers shot 5-for-10 and hit an important 3-pointer in the third quarter, while Tamilo struggled with eight turnovers in just 19 minutes on the court. “We need to work on our patience and understanding double teams and rotations,” Beeman emphasized. “This year’s bigs are unlike what we’ve had in the past, which has slightly affected our chemistry. We know we possess the best post players in the conference, and it’s crucial we utilize their talents.”
Upcoming Challenges for the Champions
The defending Big West regular-season champions will return home for two pivotal matchups: first against UC Riverside on Thursday at 7 p.m., followed by a game against Cal State Fullerton on Saturday at the same time.
