Big West Basketball Tournament: Rainbow Wahine Surge Into Championship Game After Overtime Win
In the big west basketball tournament, the University of Hawaii Rainbow Wahine are now one win from a title after beating No. 1 seed UC Irvine 67-63 in overtime on Friday at Lee’s Family Forum in Henderson, Nevada. The victory extended Hawaii’s winning streak to 10 and sent the Rainbow Wahine into Saturday’s championship game. Bailey Flavell delivered the pivotal late buckets, tying the game in regulation and then closing out the extra period with clutch makes.
Overtime swing: Flavell’s tying 3, then late finishing in the extra period
The semifinal turned in the final seconds of regulation. UC Irvine led 60-57 in the fourth quarter when Jada Wynn finished a driving layup on a 54. 9-second possession that continued after the shot clock was reset following three Hawaii fouls. After a Hawaii timeout, Flavell got the ball just left of the top of the key and buried a tying 3-pointer with 7. 7 seconds left.
UC Irvine missed two shots before the horn, pushing the game into overtime. In the extra period, Flavell hit a jumper that put Hawaii ahead 64-63 with 1: 27 remaining. Jovi Lefotu then hit one of two free throws for a 65-63 edge. After a UC Irvine miss and a Hawaii rebound, the Anteaters waited to foul until 5. 4 seconds remained. Flavell, who had missed two free throws earlier in the overtime, made both at the line to secure the 67-63 win and the trip to the final.
How Hawaii built its cushion before the late UC Irvine push
Hawaii’s control of key stretches earlier in the game proved critical when the closing minutes tightened. Teyahna Bond powered Hawaii into a 39-30 lead at halftime, highlighted by a 3-pointer that gave the Rainbow Wahine a 32-30 lead with 1: 51 left in the second quarter. After a UC Irvine miss, Bond went coast-to-coast for a layup. Later, Ritorya Tamilo knocked down what was described as her fourth 3 of the season, and Bond added a late assist to Tamilo for a layup that closed the first-half scoring.
Hawaii also found a boost at the end of the third quarter. After UC Irvine trimmed a 42-30 deficit to 44-42 with 2: 46 left, Lefotu authored an 8-0 run in the final 1: 01 to give Hawaii a 52-42 lead entering the fourth.
Thursday’s overtime win set the stage in Henderson
The championship-game berth comes one day after Hawaii defeated Cal State Fullerton in overtime on Thursday to reach the semifinals, a result that extended Hawaii’s win streak to nine at the time. In that game, head coach Laura Beeman pointed to preparation and late-game execution, saying, “I have all the confidence in the world in this team in what they do and how they do it. We practice these moments all the time. ”
Beeman also underscored the defensive identity that carried into Henderson, saying, “I do believe that between defensive and rebounding that is what wins championships… you have to be able to get stops… Defense has to travel and I think it’s traveled to Henderson. ”
Immediate reactions: ‘Community behind us’ as Hawaii advances
In Thursday’s win, Beeman noted there were “bumps along the way, ” including Hawaii going scoreless for the first seven minutes of the fourth quarter, before locking in defensively in overtime and holding Fullerton scoreless in the extra session. Freshman of the Year Bailey Flavell led that game with 14 points and credited the atmosphere in the arena, saying, “This is my first game playing in March in Vegas so I think it was really awesome to see the support and they come all the way from Hawaii. ”
Forward Imani Perez emphasized the connection with traveling fans, saying, “We have a really good community behind us, big support. They always show out so it’s never a question that we’re gonna have people behind our backs. ”
What’s next: Saturday’s championship game awaits
With Friday’s overtime result, Hawaii has advanced to Saturday’s championship game in the big west basketball tournament. The next matchup is set for the final round in Henderson, where the Rainbow Wahine will try to extend their streak again with the title on the line.
