LAS VEGAS — Olivia Davies and Amy Atwell mixed to attain 27 factors, 21 within the second half when Hawaii used 14-0 and 8-0 runs to defeat UC Irvine 59-48 within the championship recreation of the Big West Conference event, incomes the Rainbow Wahine their third NCAA Tournament berth.
Hawaii was down 29-24 earlier than the primary run, which featured 5 factors every from Davies and Atwell. Nae Nae Calhoun’s basket made it 38-29 with 2:31 to go within the third.
Still, the Anteaters have been inside 41-36 getting into the fourth quarter when Atwell, the convention participant of the yr and event MVP, scored 5 factors within the 8-0 run. Her three free throws on the 6:53 mark had the lead at 49-36.
Irvine scored the following seven factors however with the rating 49-43 and 5:14 to play, each groups went chilly.
Top-seeded Hawaii missed its final six photographs and had 4 turnovers after Kallin Spiller’s bucket on the 7:46 mark. But the Rainbow Wahine made 14 of 17 from the foul line within the fourth quarter.
Second-seeded Irvine, which hit 80 factors in each of its different two event video games, was 2 of 17 within the fourth quarter, lacking consecutive 9 photographs and going nearly six minutes between baskets.
Davis completed with 14 factors and Atwell had 13. Nnenna Orji had 11 factors and Daejah Phillips 10 rebounds for Hawaii (20-9), which has received eight straight and swept each regular-season video games in opposition to the Anteaters. The Rainbow Wahine are actually 3-4 in title video games with championships in 1996 and 2016.
Kayla Williams and Jayde Cadee each had 11 factors for the Anteaters (21-11) however the place a mixed 8-of-30 capturing. Irvine, which tied the college file for wins, had received six straight since its earlier loss to Hawaii and is 1-5 in title video games.
Hawaii was 0 for 10 from 3-point vary and shot 28% within the first half to path 26-21. Irvine hit 5 3-pointers and led by as many as seven.
Hawaii completed 2 of 20 from 3-point vary, Irvine 9 of 32. Hawaii was 27 of 32 from the foul line to 7 of 14 for the Anteaters.
