Cal State Bakersfield too much for Rainbow Wahine, 105-75
Advertiser Staff
Cal State Bakersfield had five players in double figures and became the first opponent to score over 100 points on Hawai‘i in nearly 20 years as the Roadrunners ran past the Rainbow Wahine, 105-75, in a women’s basketball game tonight in Bakersfield, Calif.
The Rainbow Wahine, under first-year coach Dana Takahara-Dias, finished their season opening road trip 1-2, and have struggled with turnovers in the two losses.
Yesterday, Hawai‘i had 27 turnovers and had 24 in Thursday’s loss to UCLA.
Keisha Kanekoa scored 15 points for Hawai‘i, Shawna Kuehu had 14 and Dita Liepkalne had 12 points and 10 rebounds.
Katie Williams scored 27 points for Cal State Bakersfield (1-2), Tiffany Belt had 19, Amber Williams had 17, Kelley Tarver had 12 and Phynique Allen added 11. The Roadrunners shot 53 percent from the field and made a school record 15 3-pointers.
Stanford was the last team to score over 100 on Hawai‘i, beating the Rainbow Wahine, 106-76, on March 17, 1990, in the NCAA Tournament Second Round.
The Rainbow Wahine shot 44 percent yesterday and made just 2-of-11 3 pointers.
The Roadrunners led by 21 in the first half before the Rainbow Wahine cut it to 48-37 after five straight points from Liepkalne. The Roadrunners led 53-37 at halftime.
The Rainbow Wahine got no closer in the second half as the Roadrunners pushed their lead to 32 on Tamiko Davis’ jumper with 3:18 remaining.
Hawai‘i’s home opener is Friday in the Rainbow Wahine Classic against 14th-ranked Arizona State (2-1) at 5 p.m. Hawai‘i then plays on Sunday against East Tennessee State (1-1) at 5 p.m.