LAS CRUCES, N.M. — There is no need to go to the record book to look up the University of Hawai'i's history in the Western Athletic Conference Women's Basketball Tournament.

"We all know what it is," said senior forward Pam Tambini.

And that's 0-for-the-first-round the past three years entering today's 9 a.m. (Hawai'i time) game against Fresno State at the Pan American Center on the New Mexico State campus.

"That's very disappointing," Tambini said. Especially for the team's six seniors — four of whom (Tambini, Janevia Taylor, Amber Lee and Brittany Grice) have endured the streak in its entirety.

"Our goal, as seniors, is to do something we haven't been able to do those last few years and win the first game," Tambini said.

UH has yet to win the conference tournament in its 10 previous years of membership, though it has gotten to the championship game twice (2001 and 2002). But most galling is that it hasn't reached the semifinals since 2003, losing in the quarterfinals last year and in the preliminary round the two seasons before that. "Last year we were even a pretty high (third) seed," Tambini said. They still lost to lower seeded Boise State.

So, the Rainbow Wahine say they have brought something of a chip on their shoulders if not a good memory here. "After the Boise State game (Saturday) it has become our main focus," Tambini said. "We've been talking about it since we got here (Sunday)."

The Rainbow Wahine (15-13 overall, 9-7 WAC) have won seven of their past eight games, but have their work cut out for them in Fresno State (17-12, 9-7), a team they wouldn't be facing except the Bulldogs were forced to forfeit a game because of an ineligible player. Senior center Jenny Thigpin was ruled ineligible but has since been reinstated.

It remains to be determined whether UH will have Grice available. The 6-foot-4 center, who was named to the all-WAC defensive team, sat out the past two games with what has been described as a lower left leg injury. Acting head coach Pat Charity has said it will likely be a game-time decision whether Grice plays. Tanya Smith has started in her place the past two games with Lee moving into Smith's position at forward.

"They (the Bulldogs) are very, very athletic but we beat them at our place and they beat us at theirs so it should be a good matchup," Charity said. "The Wahine are looking forward to the challenge."

After the last three years, they understand what that is.

Reach Ferd Lewis at flewis@honoluluadvertiser.com.