Associated Press
Associated Press
ANAHEIM, Calif. — Ashleigh Karaitiana wasn’t worried about Hawaii’s 18-year NCAA tournament drought. It was last season’s failure that irked the senior guard the most, and she was determined not to end her career with another berth in the WNIT.
Karaitiana scored 17 points, making five 3-pointers, and the Rainbow Wahine throttled UC Davis 78-59 in the Big West Conference Tournament championship, securing an automatic bid to their sixth NCAA Tournament and first since 1998.
“I don’t think it was the history of the program, I think it was the history of our season last year,” Karaitiana said. “We were in this game last year (a 67-60 loss to Cal State Northridge) and didn’t get it done. This year we were more prepared and we knew what we needed to do. We took care of it on the floor tonight.”
Karaitiana was named tournament MVP after averaging 15 points per game.
“This is why I made the decision to come back,” she said. “It was all part of the process, not just this year. I love the outcome, I’m really happy and I’m proud of my teammates.”
Briana Harris scored 13 points with eight rebounds and Megan Huff had 10 points and five rebounds to lead a dominant inside effort for second-seeded Hawaii, which led by at least 15 points the entire second half.
Winners of 10 of 11, coach Laura Beeman and the Wahine (21-5) will find out their destination at the NCAA Tournament Selection Show on Monday (1 p.m. HST on ESPN).
Beeman guided UH to the WNIT in her first three seasons at Manoa.
“It starts with your seniors,” she said. “They’ve been through this tournament for four years, and every year they’ve made a big step forward. I think they made a collective decision to say the commitment has to start and we have to believe in our process.
“Once they bought in we sat as a coaching staff and knew we could have something really special. When we’re on the same page and we do Hawaii basketball, we’re difficult to beat.”
The Rainbow Wahine outrebounded the fourth-seeded Aggies 47-29, outscored them 50-39 in the paint and shot 50 percent (34-68) from the field.
Center Kalei Adolpho had nine points and nine rebounds to aid the inside effort.
Morgan Bertsch scored 19 points and Alyson Doherty had 12 to lead UC Davis (19-13).
The Aggies were just 2 for 16 from 3-point range and 13 of 24 from the free throw line.
“We wish (Hawaii) the best of luck in the tournament,” coach Jennifer Gross said. “I am proud they are representing our conference, I know they will do a tremendous job.”
Hawaii senior point guard Destiny King had eight points, seven assists, and five rebounds and was named to the all-tournament team.
“I think our defense was what triggered our shots,” said King, who became the fifth player in school history with 1,000 points, 500 rebounds and 250 assists in a career. “Once our defense started rolling, our offense started rolling. As coach says, if we have the lead, put the gas pedal on and never let off.”
Hawaii went inside early to get in front before turning to Karaitiana outside to finish it off.
After a back-and-forth first quarter, Hawaii began funneling the ball down low and blew the game open with a 20-6 run to begin the second. King and Huff combined for 10 points in the paint during the spurt and the Rainbow Wahine cruised into halftime up 40-25.
Of their 40 first-half points, 30 came in the paint.
“I think that we focused on shutting them down on defense first,” Huff said. “In the past that was a struggle for us. Offense just came as it always does.”
The Hawaii Tribune-Herald contributed to this report.