Rainbow Wahine roll, 67-55
By Brandon Masuoka
Advertiser Staff Writer
Fittingly, a reserve player helped the University of Hawai'i women's basketball team achieve a season benchmark in a 67-55 victory over visiting Boise State last night.
Eugene Tanner • The Honolulu Advertiser
Amy Sanders scored a game-high 17 points, and reserve center Callie Spooner posted career highs of 14 points and six rebounds as Hawai'i won its second consecutive Western Athletic Conference game and matched last season's win total with its eighth victory.
Hawai'i's Amy Sanders shoots over Boise State's Jodi Nakashima, a Roosevelt High alum, in the first half of last night's game.
"Everything clicked tonight," Spooner said. "Our plan was to run on them. We wanted to use our transition, not dribble the ball very much, and just try to get it up the floor and get lay-ins."
Milia Macfarlane scored 13 points, Jade Abele had eight points, nine assists and 12 rebounds, and Brittany Grice added 10 rebounds for Hawai'i (8-6 overall, 4-3 WAC).
Jamie Hawkins scored 15 to lead two teammates in double figures for Boise State (6-10, 1-6).
"Tonight was so important for a lot of the girls who haven't had much opportunity before," Macfarlane said. "Callie Spooner had a huge game. That's the kind of stuff that's going to carry us."
Billed as a 3-point shooters' dream, last night's game turned into a nightmare for Boise State — the two-time defending WAC 3-point field goal percentage champion.
Hawai'i's match-up zone frustrated the Broncos into 20 percent shooting from 3-point range, including 0 for 15 in the first half.
The Broncos sank their first 3-pointer a little more than four minutes into the second half and finished 6 of 30 for the game.
"I think we got a little rattled," Boise State coach Jen Warden said. "I think we lost our confidence just a little bit when we were missing some wide open 3s in the first half."
Boise State entered the game ranked first in the WAC in treys made (6.2 per game) and second in 3-point shooting at 35 percent. UH ranked first at 35.1 percent.
Led by Sanders, the Rainbow Wahine led by as many as 23 points. Sanders, who entered as the team's top WAC scorer at 13 points per game, scored 11 first-half points.
"I try not to get too excited because when it comes to shooting it can go up and down any day," Sanders said. "It's nice to contribute."
The Broncos shot just 14 percent (5 of 36) in the first half, while UH shot 46 percent (13 of 28).
"We wanted the game to be over within the first 10 minutes," Macfarlane said. "That was our goal. I think we accomplished that."
In the second half, Boise State closed to 61-50 on Cassidy Blaine's 3-pointer, but the Broncos could not overcome the huge first-half deficit.
"We let them back into the game," Hawai'i coach Jim Bolla said of Boise State. "Once we get up by 20 points, we need to learn how to continue that and not let people get back into the game. But I'm happy. It's a good win."
Notes: Hawai'i guard Janevia Taylor missed her second consecutive game recovering from a right ankle sprain. ... Boise State guard Jodi Nakashima, a Roosevelt High School graduate, scored three points.
Reach Brandon Masuoka at bmasuoka@honoluluadvertiser.com or 535-2458.
