A crowd of 326 at the Stan Sheriff Center watched Hawai'i commit a season-high 23 turnovers in its first game against a ranked opponent this season. Houston recycled those miscues into 22 points.

"We did ill-advised things that we normally don't do on offense," Hawai'i guard Janevia Taylor said. "It was basically on us."

Kiemona Harris scored 16 points and Daphne Andre 11 for Houston (9-0).

Taylor scored 15 and Alofa Toiaivao 11 for Hawai'i (3-3), which lost for the first time in its last four games and dropped its 18th consecutive game to a ranked opponent.

Last night was the first game this season Hawai'i trailed in the final minutes. In all five games prior to last night, the Rainbow Wahine led in the final five minutes.

Much of the credit went to Houston's 6-foot-4 Lyttle and 6-5 Harris. Led by those two players, the Lady Cougars outscored the Rainbow Wahine 44-24 inside the paint and outrebounded them 23-14 on the offensive glass.

"They're so athletic," said Hawai'i forward Jade Abele, who finished with eight points, eight rebounds and six assists. "Sometimes I felt we had good positioning but their arms are like bloody Gumby — they just keep going and going."

Houston held a 23-19 halftime lead, but opened the second half with an 8-0 burst with four points each from Lyttle and Crystal Simpson. Hawai'i committed four turnovers during the surge.

"We came out a little off (in the second half)," Taylor said. "Right there we built a hole. They took over after that."

Abele's basket closed Hawai'i to within 38-32, but Houston went on a 9-0 run — sparked by Lyttle's back-to-back baskets — for a 47-32 lead with 9:07 remaining. Both of Lyttle's baskets came off steals. Houston finished with 15 steals.

"Sancho Lyttle is one of the top four or five players in country," said Houston coach Joe Curl, who added Lyttle dunked in a game against Iowa last year. "A lot of the WNBA people feel that she could be a top five overall pick."

Pestered by Houston's man-to-man defense and full-court press, Hawai'i would not get closer than eight points the rest of the game.

"Everyday in practice we play more defense than offense," said Lyttle, who posted her sixth double-double of the season. "Coach said the best defense makes a better offense. We try that everyday."

Hawai'i's scrappy man-to-man defense forced Houston into an ugly, low-percentage shooting game early, but the Rainbow Wahine could not overcome the Lady Cougars in the second half.

Both teams shot 36 percent with Houston 26 of 72 from the field, and Hawai'i 21 of 58.

"That's going to be (the Rainbows') style this year until they get loaded on what they want and what they need in the program," Curl said. "Their kids kept hustling. Both teams didn't quit until the buzzer blew. That's the sign of two good programs."

Added Hawai'i coach Jim Bolla: "We're not the team right now where we can battle back from being down 10 and 12 and be consistent. We need to have some people get tougher mentally and decide they want to play."

Notes: Houston plays Wake Forest (7-0) today at 5 p.m. Hawai'i plays Wake Forest tomorrow at 4 p.m. in the final day of tournament.

Reach Brandon Masuoka at bmasuoka@honoluluadvertiser.com or 535-2458.