Big run propels Rainbow Wahine to win at Cal Poly

The University of Hawaii women’s basketball team used a 20-point run bridging the first and second quarters to take control at Cal Poly in a 71-54 runaway tonight at Mott Athletics Center in San Luis Obispo, Calif.

UH improved to 9-6 in the Big West and 15-10 overall with their third win in a row and ninth in the past 10 games. Cal Poly fell to 1-15 and 3-23.

The Mustangs scored the game’s first six points and led 14-7 with 3 minutes, 46 seconds left in the first quarter. But they did not score again until the 6:46 mark of the second quarter.

Meanwhile, the Wahine dominated with an extended spree showcasing the offensive versatility of Imani Perez, who scored six of her 14 points in the first-half rampage. Bailey Flavell — UH’s leader in scoring average who was blanked Saturday against Cal State Northridge — bounced back with a team-high 15 points. Saniyah Neverson scored 14, and Ritorya Tamilo added 13 points.

The Mustangs’ Charish Thompson was game-high with 22 points.

Perez started the key blitz with a 3-point basket — her first of four makes in five shots from beyond the arc. Tamilo hit a layup to tie it at 14-all, and her free throw gave the Wahine the lead, 15-14, with 1:27 left in the first.

Perez popped another 3-pointer at 8:01 of the second to extend the lead to 24-14, and Rebecca Moors’ trey off a fast break made it 27-14 and completed the pivotal scoring run.