Wahine douse Flames, 71-50
By Catherine E. Toth
Advertiser Staff Writer
Coming off a heartbreaking loss against No. 9 Baylor Friday night, the University of Hawai'i Wahine learned a few things.
Eugene Tanner • The Honolulu Advertiser
Control the tempo of the game. Defense is just as important as offense. And never underestimate your opponent.
Wahine center Christen Roper, left, forces Illinois-Chicago's Stesha Rhodes to elevate on this jump-shot attempt in the first half.
So it was no surprise yesterday when the Wahine played unranked Illinois-Chicago like it was a Top 25 team.
"We can't control if a team is ranked, but we can control the outcome of the game," said UH head coach Vince Goo, after the Wahine easily put out the Flames, 71-50, in the final round of the Tesoro Invitational.
A crowd of 627 at the Stan Sheriff Center saw the Wahine (5-2) beat an Illinois-Chicago team that came here 4-0 in its best start in six years. Saturday night, Baylor (9-0) beat the Flames, 62-43, to clinch the tournament title.
In the first 11 minutes of yesterday's game, the Wahine went on a 20-0 run that saw Natasja Allen put up her usual numbers. The junior forward scored 13 points in the first half when the Wahine built a 42-23 lead. She finished with a season-high 21.
Shooting just 40.7 percent from the floor at halftime, compared to Hawai'i's 59.3 percent, hurt Illinois-Chicago, which normally averages 50 percent shooting. And solid Wahine defense that forced eight turnovers in the half also hurt the Flames.
Zsuzsa Tarnai, who entered the game as Illinois-Chicago's leading scorer with a 13.7 average, was held to two points.
"We were on her and I think we did a good job being up in her face," said UH junior center Christen Roper, who had 11 points, eight rebounds and two blocks.
The Wahine started strong in the second half, with point Janka Gabrielova making an easy lay up and guard April Atuaia going the length of the court for a basket in the first minute to extend the lead to 46-23.
Atuaia finished with 10 points and Gabrielova had seven.
Charissa Greene tried to rally the Flames, scoring all eight of her points in the second half. With her team trailing 56-36, Greene sank three consecutive jumpers. But with every shot, the Wahine responded. Roper grabbed two offensive boards, putting them back for points during Greene's run.
"We knew what we had to do to improve (after the loss to Baylor)," Roper said. "Whoever we play that night is who we play. We always go out in full-force."
In a game that took only 1 hour and 40 minutes, mostly due to Illinois-Chicago running down the shot clock with nearly every possession, the Wahine kept a comfortable lead throughout and allowed Goo to clear his bench.
Freshman guard Chelsea Wagner scored seven points in 14 minutes. Sophomore guard Christa Brossman, known for her defensive skills, added five points, three rebounds and a steal in 19 minutes. And freshman point guard Milia Macfarlane played five minutes, scoring two points on free throws and grabbing a rebound.
Jump Shots: UH volleyball All-American Kim Willoughby sat on the bench in street clothes. She practiced with the Wahine the past two days after returning from the NCAA Tournament. Coach Vince Goo said Willoughby will likely contribute as a power forward, but the coaching staff won't suit her up until she's ready. "She can play anytime, but we want to make sure she's comfortable with what she needs to do," Goo said.
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