The University of Hawai’i women’s basketball team saw its season-opening win streak end at four games after a 73-67 loss to Vermont on Friday. The game took place at Bankoh Arena at Stan Sheriff Center during the first day of the American Savings Bank Rainbow Wahine Showdown.
Hawai’i (4-1) reduced a 13-point deficit in the fourth quarter to three points with just over 11 seconds remaining, but could not complete the comeback. This result denied the Rainbow Wahine their first 5-0 start since the 1993-94 season.
It was the first meeting between Hawai’i and Vermont (5-2). Vermont managed to break through Hawai’i’s defense, recording the highest point total by any opponent against UH this year. The Catamounts shot 46 percent from the field and made nine out of twenty attempts from three-point range. After trailing by one point at halftime, Vermont outscored Hawai’i 24-13 in a pivotal third quarter.
Nikola Priede led all scorers with 18 points and added eight rebounds for Vermont. Malia Lenz contributed 14 points, including four three-pointers. For Hawai’i, freshman guard Keiara Curtis scored seven points in the third quarter and finished with a season-high 16 points overall. Bailey Flavell added 15 points and four assists while helping lead UH’s late-game rally.
Kira-May Filemu scored all eight of her points in the second quarter as Hawai’i overcame a nine-point deficit to take a narrow halftime lead. However, Vermont regained control early in the third quarter and maintained a double-digit advantage for much of the remainder.
Flavell assisted Rebecca Moors on UH’s opening baskets, but Vermont took a slight edge at the end of the first period following Lenz’s three-pointer. Curtis tied it up early in the second with UH’s first three-pointer before Vermont responded with six straight points to build their largest lead so far this season against UH. Filemu sparked a run that brought Hawai’i back into contention before halftime.
Vermont continued its strong outside shooting after halftime, building an early five-point lead in the third quarter and eventually stretching it to ten by period’s end. Despite efforts from Curtis and Flavell to close the gap in the fourth quarter—including cutting it to six—Vermont extended its advantage again behind another successful three-pointer.
With under a minute left, Hawai’i narrowed Vermont’s lead to six, then down further as Flavell drove for two more points and Curtis hit free throws to make it a one-possession game with eleven seconds left. However, Vermont secured victory by converting late free throws as Hawai’i failed to score on its final two possessions.
The Rainbow Wahine Showdown continues Saturday with Santa Clara facing Vermont at noon followed by Hawai’i playing Lindenwood at 2:30 p.m.
