By BILL O’REAR
By BILL O’REAR
Tribune-Herald sports editor
Kirstie Williams continued her torrid 3-point shooting and she got some deep help from her teammates as the University of Hawaii at Hilo defeated Notre Dame de Namur 82-67 on Monday night.
A small crowd watched the Pacific West Conference women’s basketball game at the UHH Gym.
Williams, a junior guard from Lincoln, Calif., scored a team-high 15 points, including 5 of 10 3-pointers. The hosts made 12 of 25 treys, a sizzling 48 percent from deep in one of their best perimeter shooting games of the season.
The Vulcans improved to 9-13 overall and 8-10 in the PacWest. They have already clinched a berth in the upcoming six-team PacWest tournament, and are still within striking distance of fifth-place Dominican (8-10 PacWest) with two games left in the regular season.
The Argonauts, who were eliminated from playoff contention with a loss at Hawaii Pacific University on Saturday, fell to 5-19 and 4-14, respectively.
UHH teammates Whitney Edens (12 points) and Thea Hanato-Smith (7 points) each drilled two 3-pointers and Kamie Imai (13 points), McKenzie Mangino and Chelsey Santos added a 3-pointer apiece.
Center Hayley Reynolds came up big inside and with three mid-range jumpers to follow Williams with 14 points. She also had a team-high seven rebounds.
Sophomore Maya Arellanes and senior Jennifer Jasper each had 17 points to lead the Argonauts. Amy Woo added 10 points, with two treys.
In the opening 20 minutes, both teams exchanged leads with UHH using an 11-0 run to grab a 29-21 advantage at the 4:31 mark. However, the Argonauts responded with a 14-2 run to finish the half and carry a 35-31 lead into the intermission.
Arellanes led NDNU in the half with 10 points and Woo had nine.
Williams led the Vulcans with nine points on 3 of 5 3-pointers.
NDNU hit 6 of 17 3-pointers and 21 of 32 free throws to stay close until the final five minutes when UHH sank four treys and pulled away.
The Lady Vulcans host Fresno Pacific University at 5 p.m. Thursday at UHH, then close out the regular season by hosting HPU on Saturday.
NDNU 35 32 — 67
UHH 31 51— 82