Wahine stay close, but fall to Baylor

By Catherine E. Toth
Advertiser Staff Writer

It wasn't the best beginning, but it wasn't the worse ending.

Hawai'i's April Atuaia managed to elude Baylor's Stasha Richardson enough times to score 23 points, but it wasn't enough as the No. 12 Lady Bears held off the Wahine, 70-65, last night at the Stan Sheriff Center. Eugene Tanner • The Honolulu Advertiser

The 737 fans (1,665 tickets issued) applauded the efforts by the Wahine, who proved to be able and equipped to play against the nation's best. Despite a 70-65 loss, Hawai'i (4-2) kept it close the entire game, nearly pulling off the upset last night at the Stan Sheriff Center.

"That Hawai'i team surprised me," said Baylor head coach Kim Mulkey-Robertson. "They're very disciplined and very well-coached. I knew this team would be difficult."

But it wasn't pretty.

By the first timeout with 14:36 to go in the first half, not a single Wahine hit a field goal. The team's first five points came off of free throws; they didn't sink a shot until nearly eight minutes into the game.

Junior forward Natasja Allen, the team's leading scorer, missed all seven field goal attempts and failed to pull down a rebound until nearly the end of the half. Well-guarded, she ended the night with just 10 points and three boards.

"They defended her really well," said UH head coach Vince Goo. "But the key was the battle on the boards, and we didn't do that."

The Lady Bears (8-0) out-rebounded the Wahine, 45-35.

UH senior point guard Janka Gabrielova, who averages 11.6 points per game, had just four by the half, nine by the game's end.

"There was a chance to win," said Gabrielova, who posted just one of Hawai'i's seven assists, "but we just overlooked the little things, like boxing out and making free throws."

Though the Wahine made 18-of-22 free throws in the first half, they missed critical free throws down the stretch that could have changed the outcome of the game.

"Those missed free throws would've put us back on top," Goo said.

Baylor came to play, with All-Americans Sheila Lambert and Danielle Crockrom combining for 18 points in the first half, 47 for the night.

But thanks to the shooting of guard April Atuaia, who knocked in the final four buckets of the half, the Wahine entered the locker room trailing just 32-30. Atuaia led the Wahine with 23 points and nine rebounds.

Hawai'i started the second half with a renewed sense of purpose.

After back-to-back layups by Gabrielova, the Wahine came within a point of Baylor, 37-36, with 16:12 to go. But sophomore guard Chanelle Fox muscled in a layup on the other end to put the Lady Bears back up.

But Hawai'i controlled the tempo of the game, not letting the Lady Bears, known for their quickness, get too many points off of fast breaks.

"I knew they'd slow the game down and eliminate the fast breaks," Mulkey-Robertson said, "but our kids are getting used to that."

The Wahine came within one point four times before taking the lead after Gabrielova hit Atuaia on a back-door play, pushing Hawai'i ahead 44-43 with about 10 minutes left. Freshman guard Chelsea Wagner followed that up with a 3-pointer, giving the Wahine their largest lead of the night, which didn't last very long.

After missing five consecutive free throws that would've pushed them ahead, Hawai'i rallied back from a 57-52 deficit to come within two with 1:15 to go.

But the Lady Bears didn't give up either, sinking seven of their final eight free throws, securing the game.

Crockrom led all scorers with 24 points, 10 rebounds and two blocks. Lambert contributed 23 points and five assists.

"They are just two very outstanding players," Goo said. "(Lambert) is a very quick player, a good ball-handler and can score. (Crockrom) is a great offensive rebounder. It was their kind of night."

Jump shots: UH freshman forward Jade Abele sustained a stress fracture in her right foot during practice. She will be out six to eight weeks. ... Admission to today's game between Baylor and Illinois-Chicago at 7 p.m. is free.