Posted at 9:42 p.m., Friday, December 29, 2006
UH women roll over San Francisco, 70-49
Advertiser Staff
The University of Hawai'i women's basketball team rallied around its ailing senior co-captain and overwhelmed San Francisco, 70-49, last night in the opening round of the Bank of Hawaii Invitational.A crowd of 426 at the Stan Sheriff Center watched the Rainbow Wahine (6-5) play without Brittany Grice who has played through leg injuries this season and was held out of last night's game by UH coach Jim Bolla.
Hawai'i will face Oklahoma State (11-1) for the title tonight at 6. San Francisco (4-9) will play Columbia (3-8) in the consolation game at 4.
Hawai'i is seeking its first preseason tournament title since the 2004 Waikiki Beach Marriott Invitational. UH has played six tournaments since then.
Hawai'i's Janevia Taylor had 15 points, five assists and six rebounds, Pam Tambini had 15 points and nine rebounds, Tanya Smith had 10 points and six rebounds, and Saundra Cariaga added 10 points. Dominique Carter led the Dons with 10 points.
Hawai'i finished shooting 47 percent (24 of 51) after hitting 64 percent (16 of 25) in the first half.
Cariaga sank three foul shots after she was fouled on a 3-point attempt to give Hawai'i a 55-29 lead, its largest of the game, with 13:20 remaining.
In last night's opener, reserve Maria Cordero scored 21 points as Oklahoma State rolled past Columbia, 86-42.
Megan Griffith led the Lions with 12 points. Columbia senior forward Becky Hogue, a 2003 Punahou alum, had six points and a team-high eight rebounds.
