If Mandi Kawaha has an off-game and Nikki Miller isn’t close to a double-double, the UH-Hilo women’s basketball team has a small window to victory, especially against a well-rounded team like Concordia.
The Eagles dominated the boards in a 70-55 win over the Vulcans in a PacWest game Friday night before 217 fans at Hilo Civic, where Concordia outrebounded UHH, 39-26.
Kawaha scored 14 points on 6 of 17 shooting, and Nikki Miller added nine points and just five rebounds to snap her double-double streak at three games for the Vulcans (2-2, 0-1 PacWest), who shot 39%, including 1 of 6 from 3-point range.
“I thought we played really hard. Obviously, we got off to a real slow start, out of rhythm. We were down 10 at the half (35-25) and played them tough the rest of the way,” UHH coach David Kaneshiro said. “We couldn’t get over the hump in the second half where we could really put game pressure on them. Everybody played pretty hard defensively, except for a few breakdowns, and Concordia took advantage of it. They’re a good team, and we’ll learn from this and get better.”
Kawaha struggled with her shot and ball-distribution (one assist against four turnovers). Sara Shimizu added 11 points, and Jenna Waki had nine points for UHH, which was outscored in second-chance points, 10-3.
Michaela Vanderklugt scored 16 points and grabbed 13 rebounds to lead the Eagles (5-3, 2-1), who converted 45% from the floor, including 8 of 27 from long distance.
Vanderklugt, a 6-foot-1 graduate student, was named to the All-PacWest preseason team for the Eagles, who were picked fourth.
The Vulcans didn’t have any selections and were voted ninth in the 11-team league, ahead of perennial doormats No. 10 Chaminade and No. 11 Holy Names.
Concordia’s height gave UHH all sorts of matchup problems. Jasmine Rachal, a 5-foot-7 guard, kept flashing at the elbow and shot over smaller defenders for a game-high 19 points. Savannah Felix-Ambroso, a 6-0 forward, ate lunch in the paint and added 15 points.
The Eagles bolted to a 9-0 lead, capped by a 3-pointer by Vanderklugt, who made 2 of 8 from long range.
Rachal hit a jumper and followed with a 3-pointer for a 50-35 cushion with 2:13 left in the third quarter for Concordia’s biggest lead.
Vanderklught is 6-1 and brings to mind former Vulcan Allie Navarette, who set 19 school records, including points, scoring average, and rebounds. Though less fluid than Navarette, Vanderklught is an inch taller and can score inside and out, rebound, and pass the ball. She had four assists against two turnovers.
In the fourth quarter, the Vulcans couldn’t score consecutive baskets and allowed back-to-back layups by Katie Timmerman and Vanderklught for a 60-46 cushion.
The ball stopped too often for the Vuls, who finished with only two assists against 13 turnovers. The Eagles had 14 assists and 16 turnovers, and they sank too many close-range baskets and challenged every shot.
UHH next hosts Point Loma, picked third, at 5 p.m. Monday at Hilo Civic.