Rainbow Wahine Upset No. 1 UC Irvine, Advance to Big West Championship
The University of Hawai‘i women’s basketball team is headed to the Big West Championship after knocking off top-seeded UC Irvine 67-63 in an overtime thriller Friday at Lee’s Family Forum in Henderson, Nevada.
Freshman of the Year Bailey Flavell led the Rainbow Wahine with 13 points and delivered the game’s biggest shot, drilling a three-pointer with 7.7 seconds left in regulation to force overtime. She then scored four key points in the extra period to help seal the win.
Hawai‘i’s defense took over late, holding UC Irvine scoreless over the final 3:26 of overtime to secure the upset. The Rainbow Wahine also got a big lift from the bench, with Teyahna Bond, Jovi Lefotu and Ritorya Tamilo each adding nine points.
The victory marks Hawai‘i’s 10th straight win and sends the fourth-seeded Rainbow Wahine (22-10) to their first Big West title game since winning back-to-back championships in 2022 and 2023.
Hawai‘i will face UC San Diego in Saturday’s Big West Championship with a chance to capture the program’s third title in four years.
Photos: Jonathan Salvador
