UH women hope to turn season around
By Ann Miller
Advertiser Staff Writer
A year ago, Hawai'i and Fresno State represented the Western Athletic Conference at the WNIT. Today, the Rainbow Wahine open their WAC basketball season in Fresno fighting for their reputation, and future.
The country's fourth-youngest Division I team has lost its past three. Hawai'i (2-7) hasn't lost four straight in nearly a decade.
That point of pride, and the 'Bows' streak of eight consecutive winning seasons, is up for grabs as they embark on their first trip of the season. The time for learning and teaching seemingly never ends when your tri-captains (April Atuaia, Jade Abele and Milia Macfarlane) are also your only upperclassmen.
"We're not trying to assume anything in our coaching this year," says head coach Vince Goo. "With this group we diagram everything out, go in steps and sequence and don't assume they know. We stop practice a lot more and do more talking.
"In the past, we'd take a youngster out and let them watch the veterans and learn that way. This year there are a lot more youngsters than veterans. We can't play 2-on-2."
The 'Bows' losses have come by an average of less than seven points. Their learning curve has been dramatic, but so have the disappointments. The shift comes from having freshmen get 38 percent of the playing time, and contributing 40 percent of the rebounds and a third of the scoring.
Abele has contributed another third. She leads the WAC in scoring (17.7 points per game) and Hawai'i in nearly every meaningful statistic. The 6-foot-1 forward has scored 20-plus points in the last three losses.
Abele's shooting percentage (.450) is 100 points higher than last year and she's grabbing nearly twice as many rebounds (5.8 per game), despite playing on a bad foot — as is Atuaia.
Goo characterizes Abele's drastic improvement as a surprise. It is not as surprising as his team ranking 14th nationally in turnovers.
Earlier in the season, Goo joked about closing the doors at practice because so many balls went missing. Now, even with a flock of first-year guards and starter Pam Tambini slowed by a possible stress fracture, the 'Bows are committing 13 a game.
In contrast, Fresno State (6-4) is averaging 23. But the Bulldogs (6-4) have won their last three behind Aritta Lane. The 'Aiea graduate leads FSU in scoring (15.2 ppg) and also averages more than six rebounds.
The Bulldogs aren't the only WAC team on a tear lately. San Jose State (8-1) has won its last seven, while eighth-ranked Louisiana Tech (7-1) has won its last four since falling to second-ranked Tennessee.
Reach Ann Miller at amiller@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8043.
