Seniors Karena Greeny (12 points) and Janka Gabrielova (11) led the UH offense, but it was the defense that suffocated the Owls. They shot just 22 percent for the game and were 1-for-18 from behind the arc, getting their only 3-pointer in the final minute. The Rainbow defense helped Rice set a tournament record for fewest points. The old mark was 38.

The victory gives third-seeded Hawai'i (23-6) a six-game winning streak going into tomorrow's 9 a.m. (Hawai'i time) championship at Reynolds Center. It will play the winner of today's other semifinal between top-seeded ­ and eighth-ranked ­ Louisiana Tech and fifth-seeded Tulsa. UH lost in last year's WAC Tournament championship, and did not receive an NCAA invitation.

Second-seeded Rice (21-8), which came into the game with a five-game winning streak, had defeated the Rainbows in five of their last six meetings. That included both games this season ­ UH shot 20 percent at Rice ­ and a WAC Tournament semifinal two years ago.

Hawai'i made up for much of painful history today. The Rainbow Wahine broke away in the final six minutes of the first half and relentlessly shut Rice down in the second, extending their advantage to 51-22 with 8:30 left in the game. At a timeout with 14:04 left, they received a standing ovation from their small crowd. Their dominance allowed the starters to rest much of the second half.

"We picked a bad time to play really, really badly," Rice coach Cristy McKinney said. "I give Hawai'i a lot of credit because they really attacked us and came at us. They seemed to want the game more."

Christen Roper hurt the Owls inside early. Her left-hand hook gave her eight points and put the Rainbow Wahine ahead 12-7 with 12:14 left in the half. Two minutes later Roper was called for her second foul and went out.

From there, point guard Gabrielova put the offense on her tiny shoulders. She scored her first basket with 6:06 left in the half, weaving through the entire Owl defense for a layup to put UH ahead 20-15. After a Rice turnover, Gabrielova hit two free throws.

Kara Liggett got a shot to drop from outside with 5:20 showing to make it 22-17. The Owls would not score again in the half.

Gabrielova came right back with a 3-pointer. When the Owls threw the ball away, they called time to regroup. It didn't work.