The University of Hawai'i women's basketball team will play this season without freshman volleyball player Jamie Houston, who is recovering from a stress fracture in her left foot.

"I've decided not to play," said Houston, who injured her foot in a volleyball match at Boise State in October, but played through it.

The two-time Alabama volleyball State Player of the Year and two-time all-state basketball honoree said she chose to sit out this season after receiving medical results this week.

"Our main concern is her health," said Hawai'i coach Jim Bolla, whose Rainbow Wahine play Western Athletic Conference favorite Louisiana Tech tonight at the Stan Sheriff Center. "Our main concern is for her to get healthy, and be ready to play volleyball next season."

Hawai'i (10-2 overall, 1-0 WAC) has won eight consecutive games and matched its best start since the 2001-02 season when it went 23-8 and earned a berth to the Women's National Invitation Tournament.

"This is a big game for our team, not just as a statement, but as a point to make to others that we're serious about this season," Hawai'i guard Janevia Taylor said. "I think people are trying to see if we're really for real."

Louisiana Tech (10-3, 2-0) is the four-time defending WAC regular-season champion, and has WAC Player of the Year Tasha (Crain) Williams.

Last February, Hawai'i overcame Williams' 36 points in a 79-78 overtime victory. It was Hawai'i's first-ever win against the Lady Techsters in 15 games since 1980.

This season, Hawai'i is poised to end two consecutive losing seasons and reclaim some glory to a program that averaged more than 19 victories from 1987 to 2004 under Vince Goo.

"I think it would mean a lot to UH athletics for UH women's basketball to be successful again," Hawai'i forward Brittany Grice said. "I just hope we can keep continuing to go in that direction."

In his second season, Bolla has his team running an uptempo offense that feeds off its defense. It's similar to the style he ran at UNLV, where the Running Rebels went 300-120 in his 14-year tenure.

Bolla said he's looking forward to tonight's game with Louisiana Tech, a team picked by WAC coaches and the media to win the conference.

"It's a good test for us," he said. "They're picked to be the champions; we're picked to be fifth. Let's throw it out there and find out where we are."

Hawai'i received some good news yesterday on injured players Amy Sanders (stomach ailment), Amy Kotani (sprained left ankle) and Grice (sore left knee). All three practiced yesterday after sitting out Tuesday.

Sanders' stomach ailment required a brief trip to The Queen's Medical Center on Dec. 14. Her streak of 92 consecutive games played ended Dec. 17 against Campbell, and she's had relapses with weakness and loss of appetite.

"I feel better today, but it's day-by-day," said Sanders, who scored a career-high 27 points, including the go-ahead basket, in the overtime victory over Louisiana Tech last February.

"I'm pretty sure I'll be fine," she added. "You're always up to play a WAC game. My parents and my grandparents are going to be here, and they always make me feel better."

Bolla is hoping for a sizeable crowd for tonight's game. Hawai'i drew a season-high crowd of 880 in its season-opening 80-71 loss to then-No. 22 USC on Nov. 19.

"If we can get 2,000 people in here, I think it will be a great accomplishment for us," Bolla said. "I think these ladies have played hard to this point, and any help we can get we'll appreciate it."

For the first time this season, a Rainbow Wahine game will be televised on KFVE (channel 5). The station will also televise Saturday's game against New Mexico State.

"We do want to play really well, and show everyone," Grice said. "I definitely hope it's a real exciting game, and it encourages more people to come out, or just tune in and watch us."

Hawai'i is projected to start guards Taylor (12.2 points, 3.5 rebounds, 3.6 assists per game) and Sanders (13 ppg, 5.2 rpg, 2.8 apg), forwards Grice (11.6 ppg, 9.1 rpg, 1.3 apg) and Pam Tambini (9.5 ppg, 5.9 rpg, 1.3 apg), and center Alofa Toiaivao (6.8 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 1.4 apg).

Reach Brandon Masuoka at bmasuoka@honoluluadvertiser.com.