The 'Bows (6-16, 4-9 WAC), who start three of their 10 underclassmen, had not won since Jan. 24 in Idaho — against a BSU team (7-16, 4-10) that starts half its eight underclassmen. The series sweep kicked UH ahead of the Broncos, into seventh.

San Jose State, which swept the 'Bows for the first time this season, is in sixth place; the first six teams avoid the play-in round at next month's WAC Tournament.

With Rainbow Wahine coach Vince Goo officially announcing his retirement this week, the end of the season suddenly seems much closer. His team used the news for incentive last night: "You want to play extra hard for him and the other coaches because there's only six more games for them," Amy Sanders said. "You want it to be positive."

Mostly though, Hawai'i finally found a team it could control with its man defense at the same time its offense seems to be coming around. After seven straight sub-60 games, the Rainbows are averaging nearly 70 points their last two.

Last night nine 'Bows scored, led by freshman Pam Tambini's career-high 13 points. UH had season highs of 18 assists and .433 shooting, and hit all six free throws. Goo credited the offensive success to defense.

"We got to push the ball up the floor a little bit more because of our defense," he said. "We got some rebounds and ran some breaks, and hit some perimeter shots. That gets you going.

"Everything was defense. When we didn't play well it was defense and when we did play well it came off of defense."

Hawai'i held Boise State scoreless for nearly six minutes to start the game and bolted to a 16-2 lead before the Broncos got their second basket; more than nine minutes were gone. At that point, BSU coach Jen Warden said she realized the impact Goo's announcement had on the motivation of his team.

The 'Bows also struggled very early offensively, turning the ball over three of their first four possessions. They got their offense going soon after and put it into overdrive when Trisha Nishimoto joined Janevia Taylor in an all-small, all-burner backcourt that left the Broncos behind.

"It gives us more quickness and we can run the two of them together and still match-up defensively against Boise," Goo said. "Not too many other teams."

The Rainbow Wahine pulled ahead 28-9 on Taylor's steal and breakaway basket. Taylor, coming off a six-steal game, had four in the first half.

BSU brought some drama into the game by hitting five of its last six shots and out-scoring UH 11-2 before the half ended, to cut its deficit to 30-20. It trailed by just seven points three times early in the second half, but that would be as close as it could get.

OVER AND BACK: Hawai'i plays third-place UTEP tomorrow at 7 p.m. ... April Atuaia, the 'Bows' only senior and second-leading scorer, made her first appearance since being suspended three games for breaking team rules. She played four minutes in the second half. ... Roosevelt graduate and BSU junior Jodi Nakashima, who is the fifth-most prolific 3-point shooter in the WAC, was held to two points. ... Hawai'i has won all six games against Boise.