Hawai'i
Cal Poly Falls at Hawai'i 68-47, Will Be No. 6 Seed at Big West Tournament
3/5/2016 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
BIG WEST CONFERENCE TOURNAMENT BRACKET
HONOLULU — The Cal Poly women's basketball team trailed just 23-16 late in the first half at Hawai'i on Saturday night, but the Rainbow Wahine finished the regular season with a 68-47 win inside the Stan Sheriff Center, clinching the No. 2 seed to the upcoming week's Big West Conference Tournament.
The Mustangs (14-15, 7-9), who came in having won three of their last four, will be the bracket's No. 6 seed, facing No. 7 CSUN at 8:30 p.m. Tuesday at Bren Events Center on the campus of UC Irvine.
The matchup with the Matadors (7-23, 5-11), shown on ESPN3, will tip off at least 30 minutes after No. 5 UC Santa Barbara and No. 8 UC Irvine square off in the 6 p.m. first-round opener.
The Rainbow Wahine (19-10, 12-4), the defending regular-season champions, led 19-8 after the first quarter and 23-10 with just under seven minutes remaining in the opening half.
Three consecutive Mustang baskets, though — a jump shot and layup from sophomore guard Dynn Leaupepe, followed by a jumper by freshman forward Katie Nunnelley — brought Cal Poly within seven points with 3:38 left until halftime.
Hawai'i responded with an 8-0 run to close out the half, however, for a 31-16 lead.
The Wahine then opened the third quarter with an 11-2 run over a four-and-a-half-minute stretch, capped by a three-point play by Connie Morris making it 42-18.
After bringing a 51-25 lead into the fourth quarter, Hawai'i took its largest advantage, 55-27, on an Ashleigh Karaitiana layup with 7:50 remaining.
Mustang junior forward Amanda Lovely finished with eight points to go with five rebounds, and freshman point guard Dye Stahley had a season-high seven points and four steals.
Sophomore forward Emily Anderson went 2-for-3 from 3-point range, adding six points in a career-high 11 minutes.
Cal Poly won the first two meetings with CSUN earlier this season, 66-62 in overtime in San Luis Obispo on Jan. 21 and 77-66 on the road Feb. 20.
