Wahine defeat Tulsa, 62-53
By Ann Miller
Advertiser Staff Writer
With their point guard fresh out of points, the University of Hawai'i Rainbow Wahine resorted to grand theft to defeat Tulsa, 62-53, last night. Instead of jail, the Rainbow Wahine found themselves in second place in the Western Athletic Conference basketball standings.
Gregory Yamamoto • The Honolulu Advertiser
The Golden Hurricane (15-9, 10-4 WAC) began the day sharing second with Rice. But the 'Canes turned the ball over 20 times to give the Rainbows (17-5, 10-3) what they needed most on a night when Janka Gabrielova went 0-for-15: Another chance.
Hawai'i's Kim Willoughby fakes a shot against the Tulsa defense before going up for a score in the second half at Stan Sheriff Center.
Hawai'i, playing before 796 at Stan Sheriff Center, did not waste it.
It took its first advantage 75 seconds into the second half and — after seven lead changes —took control when freshman Chelsea Wagner instigated a 10-0 run. The victory came hours after Rice (16-7, 10-4) was upset at San Jose State. It left the Rainbows alone in second, behind unbeaten and seventh-ranked Louisiana Tech.
UH plays Rice here Sunday at 2 p.m. The Owls are the only unranked team to beat Hawai'i this season.
The most significant play in the first half last night came with 6:45 showing. Hawai'i was down 21-12 and its offense was comatose. Then senior Karena Greeny stripped the ball from Tulsa freshman Bethanie Bentz at halfcourt and out-twisted her for the basket and a foul.
Bentz then knocked down a 3-pointer, but that only seemed to tick the Rainbows off. They scored the next three baskets in a quick burst. Natasja Allen snaked in a reverse and Wagner took the ball from Carla Morrow and scored on a breakaway. After Christen Roper smothered Tulsa's next shot, Greeny followed in a Gabrielova miss to make it 24-23.
The Golden Hurricane regrouped to take a 26-23 advantage into halftime.
"We had about four minutes where it was really clicking," Greeny said. "Then with two minutes left we went right back to where we started."
At the half Gabrielova — the Rainbows' only other senior and offensive catalyst — was 0-for-8, with five turnovers. She had just two more turnovers in the second half and went 4-for-4 from the foul line in the final minute.
"She'll be back," Greeny said. "I've never seen her not come back after a bad game. She'll deal with it."
She was part of a second-half defense that appeared to mesmerize the Golden Hurricane in the final seven minutes, after the Rainbows got into the game by pounding the ball inside. Wagner appeared to lull Tulsa to sleep.
Midway through the second half, the Rainbows moved out of their man defense into a 2-3 zone. The switch gave Wagner the option of anticipating passes, knowing someone was behind her if she whiffed, which she didn't.
Tulsa took its last lead at 43-42 with 6:54 showing. On the next possession, Wagner hit Greeny inside for a layup. Wagner rotated back into the perimeter of the zone, swiped a Tulsa pass and scored on a breakaway and foul shot to put Hawai'i ahead 47-43.
Wagner's 21 points was her third career high in five starts in place of the injured April Atuaia. Greeny added 17 points and Allen (10 points, 9 rebounds) was a rebound short of her third double-double.
