Before the season began, UH-Hilo women’s basketball coach David Kaneshiro was asked in an interview if he felt slighted by his team’s preseason ranking in the PacWest coaches’ poll.
Kaneshiro’s answer was telling: He didn’t even know the ranking, let alone care what it was.
For the record, it was ninth, and Monday night that wasn’t nearly high enough, not with the way Mandi Kawaha and Sara Shimizu shot the ball
Kawaha scored a career-high 27 points and Sara Shimizu added career-high 21 as the hot-shooting Vulcans pulled off their best performance of the young season, beating Point Loma 78-66 at Afook-Chinen Civic Auditorium.
The Sea Lions (6-3, 2-1 PacWest), who were picked fourth in the PacWest poll, were denied a sweep through their three-game Hawaii road trip.
UHH (3-2, 1-1) entered on a two-game losing streak, but Kaneshiro had seen reasons for optimism.
“I was talking to my assistants before the game, and telling them we played better against Dakota Wesleyan, even though we lost, and then we played better then that against Concordia, even though we lost,” Kaneshiro said.
On a stormy day in Hilo, losing wasn’t in the cards this time.
The Vuls led this one coast to coast, with jumpers by Shimizu and Kawaha setting the tone to open the game. Nikki Miller’s basket gave UHH a 42-27 lead at halftime, and its advantage grew back to as many as 19 in the second half as Point Loma never got within single digits.
“We did a good job taking care of the ball,” Kaneshiro said, “against their trapping and pressure defense.
“We got good shots, and were fortunate enough to knock them down.”
Especially from 3-point range, where the Vuls finished 12 of 20, led by their hot-shooting guards. Kawaha was 9 of 15 from the field and made all four of her 3-pointers, and Shimizu was 5 of 8 from long range.
Heaven Samayoa-Mathis also reached double figures with 13 points (2 of 5 on 3s), and Miller posted eight points and 11 rebounds before fouling out.
Cara Liggins scored 18 points for the Sea Lions, who were just 2 of 17 on 3-pointers.
UHH hosts Hawaii Pacific on Sunday.
“We played well, but there are definitely things we can improve on,” Kaneshiro said.