HILO, Hawai'i – March is nearing closer and the Hawai'i Hilo Women's Basketball team is heating up for a push toward the playoffs after notching its fourth win in a row with a 76-70 defeat of Concordia University Irvine Saturday evening in Pacific West Conference play.
An 11-0 run through the end of the third quarter and beginning of the final period helped push the Vulcans ahead. Hawai'i Hilo totaled 39 free-throw attempts in the game with 22 in the fourth quarter, sinking 12 through the last five minutes of play.
The Vulcans executed all around through a competitive battle that had six tied scores and 10 lead changes. Hawai'i Hilo shot 45.1 percent from the field while being highly efficient from beyond the arc with four 3-pointers on the fewest perimeter attempts on the season (57.1 percent).
They also totaled 12 steals with half of them courtesy Kamalu Kamakawiwoole, who also collected 10 rebounds and 17 points for her second double-double of the season.
Kaile Cruz also tallied up 17 points with 11 of them coming from the charity stripe. Keirstyn Agonias led with 18 points.
The two teams previously met Jan. 2 in California with CUI managing to come out victorious.
PLAY4KAY
Saturday's match was the Hawai'i Hilo Women's Basketball team's annual Play4Kay game, honoring Sandra Kay Yow, a former longtime head coach for the North Carolina State University Women's Basketball team as well as for Team USA.
The legendary coach was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1987 and battled the good fight until her passing in Jan. 2009. Two years prior, the Kay Yow Fund was founded and the Play4Kay initiative began to honor all warriors and survivors in the fight against all cancers affecting women.
For more information, visit KayYow.com/Play4Kay.
UP NEXT
Hawai'i Hilo moved to a 10-11 overall record (7-8 PacWest) while Concordia University Irvine moved to 9-7 in conference play (11-11 overall).
The Vulcans will hit the road for a four-game trip against Academy of Art (Feb. 17), Dominican (Feb. 19), Fresno Pacific (Feb. 22) and Westmont (Feb. 24) before returning home for one last home contest against HPU on March 2 for Senior Night.
PATH TO PACWEST CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIPS
The top six teams at the end of the regular season will make it to San Diego for the 2023-24 PacWest Conference Tournament set for March 7-9 at Point Loma's Golden Gymnasium.
Hawai'i Hilo still sits just outside the bubble at No. 7 but continues to inch forward. CUI is two spots ahead at No. 5.
Azusa Pacific remains at the top with an unbeaten record.
