The Rainbow Wahine (5-13, 3-6 WAC) are in the midst of their first losing season as a WAC member, and first overall since 1995. The Spartans (12-6, 4-5) have staggered since their best start (10-2) in history.

A month ago, SJSU handed Hawai'i its worst loss of the season (73-45). The fourth-youngest team in Division I sincerely believes it can turn that around in tonight's game at Stan Sheriff Center.

"Oh for sure," UH junior Jade Abele said. "We had an absolute shocker in San Jose."

The Rainbow Wahine have tweaked their defense since SJSU shot down a dozen 3-pointers. They play more man-to-man defense and leave fewer wide-open looks. Their past six opponents are shooting .215 (14-65) from behind the arc.

Unfortunately for the 'Bows, they are hitting just .357 from anywhere on the court, and haven't scored 60 in six games.

Shooting has become UH coach Vince Goo's primary focus. Since he can't teach shooting technique at this point in the season — "That's usually done in the spring, summer and fall" — he is appealing to them to take better shots.

Abele, who leads the team in scoring, assists, rebounding, steals and 3-pointers, believes there isn't a huge difference between winning and what has gone on the past three months.

"It's not going to take a lot of change because we've been playing better," Abele said. "A lot of people have stepped up. ... Everybody's been having good games.

"We just need to have great games all game."

The Spartans share that sentiment and also understand how difficult it is to accomplish.

They have lost three players to academic problems and illness, including Chenne Tuimoloau, who scored a season-high 20 off the bench against Hawai'i.

They still have juniors Cricket Williams and Tatiana Taylor, who are among the top five in WAC scoring. Williams is also third nationally in steals and fourth in assists; she needs 15 to become the WAC career leader.

Taylor and her twin Teoma, who is sinking 55 percent of her shots, account for a third of the Spartans' scoring and rebounding. One of Hawai'i's most compelling concerns today is keeping them off the offensive boards, and preventing Williams from taking the game over.

Last week, the Rainbow Wahine led Rice and Tulsa in the second half. They lost both games, with the Owls and Golden Hurricane owning the inside in the final minutes.

A loss tomorrow would be Hawai'i's 10th at home this season. That would be the most since the 6-20 season in 1994-95. That team was also young, but Goo said that is where the similarities end.

"This team has a lot more than we had then," Goo said. "Back then we had injuries. These kids gotta know that what they're doing now, the playing time they're getting, will pay off in the future.

"They have come out every game and competed. They've slowed down at times, but they've done what we've asked, especially defensively. These kids play a lot harder."

OVER AND BACK: San Jose State and Hawai'i are among the top 50 nationally in field-goal percentage defense. ... The Rainbow Wahine travel to Louisiana Tech next Thursday and play at SMU on Valentine's Day. ... College Sports Television, which is not available in Hawai'i, will show the 'Bows final home game, March 6 against Fresno State. ... SJSU's Tatiana Taylor has sung the national anthem before every home game. Twin Teoma Taylor joined her twice.