Tar Heels too strong for Rainbow Wahine
By Brandon Masuoka
Advertiser Staff Writer
After a rip-roaring performance against fourth-ranked Connecticut the day before, Hawai'i wilted on offense against 12th-ranked North Carolina yesterday.
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La'Tangela Atkinson scored a game-high 19 points and the Tar Heels used their rebounding muscle to overwhelm the Rainbow Wahine, 61-50, for third place in the 24th annual Hawaiian Airlines Rainbow Wahine Classic.
UH's Christen Roper is pounded by North Carolina's Nikita Bell and Jennifer Thomas.
Connecticut defeated Oklahoma, 73-60, for the championship.
An estimated crowd of 2,000 at the Stan Sheriff Center watched the taller Tar Heels frustrate the Rainbows with defense and strong-arm them for 15 offensive rebounds and easy putbacks. Hawai'i (3-2) had five offensive rebounds.
"We were doing a pretty good job defensively, but we did not box out," Hawai'i coach Vince Goo said. "They outplayed us on the boards big time."
Hawai'i played timid against North Carolina's press-and-trap defense and failed to build on its inspiring 60-53 loss to Connecticut on Saturday.
Yesterday's results:
"We proved ourselves (against Connecticut)," Goo said. "Whenever you prove yourself, you got to come back the next game and get it done again. We did not do it. We did not play with the same kind of courage or intensity."
Hawaiian Airlines Rainbow Wahine Classic
The pressing defense by North Carolina (4-1) slowed Hawai'i's offense into 39-percent shooting. The Rainbows broke the press rather easily, but were forced to begin their half-court offense with sometimes 15 seconds or less on the 30-second shot clock.
"I think the press was definitely effective," said Tar Heel guard Coretta Brown. "It took a lot of time off the clock for them. It was just hard-nosed defense."
After trailing by as many as 10 points in the first half, Hawai'i closed to 45-41 on Michelle Gabriel's 3-pointer with 10:17 left in the game. But Brown scored the next five points and sparked an 11-0 run that put the Tar Heels out of reach.
"I don't think we were steady at all," Gabriel said. "We had bursts, and at times we executed well, but it's just putting that whole thing together that we need to work on."
After Gabriel's 3-pointer, UH went scoreless for 6:25 before Jade Abele made two free throws, cutting the deficit to 56-43 with 3:52 left.
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In the first half, Hawai'i grabbed a brief 10-9 lead behind two 3-pointers by April Atuaia and another by Abele. The Tar Heels responded with an 18-7 run, but the Rainbows clawed back with several free throws. Hawai'i trailed 30-24 at halftime.
Hawai'i's Amy Sanders guards North Carolina's Courtney Chambers during the first half.
In the second half, Hawai'i closed to 34-31 on Natasja Allen's basket with 16:10 left, but could not overtake the Tar Heels.
Abele led Hawai'i with 13 points. Atuaia, who returned after hyperextending her left knee in the first half, added 10.
"I thought it was a hard-fought game," North Carolina coach Sylvia Hatchell said. "After three days, both teams showed fatigue. Hawai'i kept battling right back and hung in there with us."
• Connecticut 73, Oklahoma 60: Diana Taurasi scored a game-high 30 points to lead the No. 4 Huskies (5-0) over the No. 22 Sooners (5-2) for the championship. Maria Villarroel led Oklahoma with 27 points.
• DePaul 55, Denver 44: Khara Smith scored 17 points and Sarah Kustok 11 as DePaul (3-1) rallied in the second half to beat Denver (1-4) for fifth place.
• Fordham 79, Gonzaga 69: Caitlin Chiaramonte scored 22 points as Fordham (3-2) held off Gonzaga (1-4) for seventh place.
• All-Tournament Team: Maria Villarroel, Oklahoma; Dionnah Jackson, Oklahoma; Ann Strother, Connecticut; Jenni Dant, DePaul; April Atuaia, Hawai'i; Candace Sutton, North Carolina; Coretta Brown, North Carolina.Tournament MVP: Diana Taurasi, Connecticut
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