Every time the Hawaii women’s basketball team has experienced a disappointing result this Big West season, the Rainbow Wahine has come back with something better in their next opportunity.

After UH experienced one of its toughest stretches of the season, the response was proportional Saturday night: a 80-58 rout of Cal Poly at SimpliFi Arena.

It was about as good as Thursday’s 10-point loss to UC Davis. UH submitted the program’s highest scoring output since 2020-21 and its best assist count in six years, 22 on 29 baskets. 

The Wahine shot better than 54% from the field, more than double their efficiency in the loss to the Aggies two days prior.

Factoring in the season-ending injuries to Jovi Lefotu and Jacque David since Jan. 26, it was a cathartic night for the Wahine, who won two days after a BWC loss for the fifth straight week.

“It’s been a hard 10 days for us,” coach Laura Beeman told Spectrum Sports at halftime. “We knew we had to come out and put the pedal down a little bit.”

UH (9-12, 7-5 Big West) peeled out with a 24-4 start and never let up on the struggling Mustangs (6-14, 3-9), earning a season sweep in the series.

Center Kallin Spiller scored 19 points on 9-for-11 shooting and grabbed seven rebounds in just 17 minutes, reversing a 2-for-11 showing on Thursday. Wing Meilani McBee hit on four of five 3-point attempts for 13 points, point guard Lily Wahinekapu had 10 points and seven assists and shooting guard McKenna Haire scored 11.

Forward Daejah Phillips added 12 points and five assists off the bench.

Beeman resolved that there would be no slip-up coming out of the break, when UH led 46-26. She was proven right as UH won the third quarter by five points; at one point, the Wahine led by 31.

Oumou Toure led the Mustangs with 14 points and eight rebounds.

The fifth-place Wahine head back out to Southern California next week for games at UC San Diego (11-11, 8-4) and Cal State Fullerton (10-12, 5-8) on Thursday and Saturday.

Brian McInnis covers the state’s sports scene for Spectrum News Hawaii. He can be reached at brian.mcinnis@charter.com.