Pam Tambini scored a career-high 20 points and the University of Hawai'i women's basketball team rallied to defeat host San Francisco, 71-63, last night.

A crowd of 132 at War Memorial Gym watched the Rainbow Wahine (4-2) overcome a seven-point deficit in the second half to win their first regular-season, non-conference road game against a Division I opponent since Dec. 22, 1991 when they defeated San Diego, 84-76.

"It's a good team win," Hawai'i coach Jim Bolla said. "We're taking baby steps, and we're getting there. Hopefully this will give us some momentum."

Tambini, a junior wing from San Jose, Calif., added six rebounds and five steals as her father, Mark, and mother, Margaret, watched from the stands.

"The game meant a lot," Tambini told KKEA Radio in a postgame interview. "It felt good to play in front of family."

Hawai'i trailed 35-30 at intermission, but outscored San Francisco 41-28 in the second half. The Rainbow Wahine were coming off a 10-day layoff from their last game, a 68-66 victory over visiting Texas A&M on Nov. 27.

"We didn't foul early in the second half; that was the key for us," Bolla said. "We wanted to go to the line more in the second half. We did that."

Hawai'i sank 13 of 18 foul shots in the second half after hitting 2 of 2 in the first half.

Hawai'i's Janevia Taylor scored 16 points and Brittany Grice added 13 points and 11 rebounds. Dominique Carter scored 18 points and Nickie Warren 13 for the Dons (2-6).

In the second half, the Rainbow Wahine took a 49-47 lead on a 7-0 run sparked by five points from Tambini. Following a basket by San Francisco's Nykia Peace, Hawai'i went on an 11-0 run for a commanding 60-49 lead. The Rainbow Wahine increased their lead to 68-54 on Dalia Solia's 3-point basket.

Hawai'i concludes its two-game road trip at Santa Clara (2-4) tomorrow. The game starts at noon Hawai'i time.

Tomorrow's broadcast on KKEA Radio (1420AM) will be determined after the Hawai'i-Missouri women's volleyball match today.

Last night's game was Hawai'i's first regular-season, non-conference road game in nearly 12 years. The last time a UH team traveled before conference play was during the 1993-94 season when the Rainbow Wahine lost at Oregon State, 85-63.