HONOLULU (Interstat) — Hawaii overwhelmed Cal Poly 86-46 in a women’s basketball game Thursday night at Stan Sheriff Center. The Warriors seized control with a 28-point first quarter and never relented, forcing 20 turnovers and converting them into 26 points off takeaways. Bailey Flavell led Hawaii with 22 points. Vanessa McManus scored 22 for the Mustangs, who shot just 37.5% from the floor. Hawaii improved to 7-9 overall, while Cal Poly fell to 3-14. An announced crowd of 1,562 watched the conference matchup.

HONOLULU (Interstat) — The Hawaii women’s basketball team delivered a dominant wire-to-wire performance Thursday night, overwhelming Cal Poly from the opening tip and cruising to an 86-46 victory in a Big West Conference matchup at a subdued Stan Sheriff Center. From the outset, the Warriors established a pace and defensive intensity that the Mustangs could not match. Hawaii opened the game on a 17-0 run before Cal Poly managed its first field goal, a hook shot by Nora Perez with 8:36 remaining in the first quarter. The Warriors’ pressure was relentless, forcing 10 first-quarter turnovers and converting them into easy transition opportunities. By the end of the period, Hawaii led 28-6, having held Cal Poly to just 2-of-11 shooting from the field while committing only a single turnover themselves. The most important part of the game was unquestionably that devastating opening salvo. The Warriors won the opening tip and immediately set a tone of defensive havoc. Imani Perez of Hawaii blocked an early Cal Poly layup attempt, one of her three blocks in the game, and the Warriors capitalized on the other end with quick scores from Bailey Flavell and Saniyah Neverson. Cal Poly’s offense was stifled, plagued by rushed shots, passes deflected or stolen, and a clear inability to handle Hawaii’s athleticism on the perimeter and in the paint. By the time the Mustangs scored, the outcome was already heavily tilted, and the Warriors never relented, ensuring there would be no path back into the game for the visitors. Hawaii’s balance was on full display throughout the night. Guard Bailey Flavell, from Auckland, New Zealand, led all scorers with 22 points in just 20 minutes, adding four assists. Keiara Curtis of Seattle contributed 16 points and four assists, while the interior presence of Imani Perez of Denver and Saniyah Neverson of Surprise, Arizona, proved overwhelming. Perez finished with 11 points, three blocks and two assists, and Neverson added 11 points and a block. The Warriors shared the ball effectively, tallying 13 assists on 34 made field goals, and were a perfect 10-for-10 from the free-throw line. Cal Poly, which fell to 3-14 overall, was led by Vanessa McManus of Staten Island, New York, who scored 22 points in 34 minutes. No other Mustang reached double figures. The team struggled mightily against Hawaii’s defense, committing 20 turnovers which the Warriors converted into 28 points. Cal Poly also was outrebounded 44-26, including an 11-4 deficit on the offensive glass that led to 18 second-chance points for Hawaii. The Warriors improved to 7-9 overall and 1-2 in the Big West, finding a much-needed conference win after two narrow losses to open league play. Their defensive statistics told the story of the rout: 13 steals, four blocks, and just five total turnovers forced a stark 40-5 disparity in points off turnovers. Hawaii’s shooting efficiency, 47.2% from the field, contrasted sharply with Cal Poly’s 37.5%. The Mustangs also hit only 2 of 11 attempts from three-point range, while Hawaii connected on 8 of 23. A crowd of 1,562 watched as the Warriors maintained their massive lead through the second half, allowing head coach Laura Beeman to utilize her bench extensively. Eleven different Hawaii players saw at least nine minutes of action. The game unfolded as projected by advanced metrics, with National Statistical’s ELO system giving Hawaii a 92.3% probability of victory beforehand. Cal Poly continues its difficult road swing, while Hawaii will look to build momentum as conference play continues.

HONOLULU (Interstat) — Two Big West women’s basketball teams seeking momentum will meet Thursday when the Hawaii Warriors host the Cal Poly Mustangs at the Stan Sheriff Center. The Warriors (6-9) have lost four straight, including a narrow 50-47 defeat at UC Irvine on Saturday. The Mustangs (3-13) have dropped eight of their last nine, coming off an 87-61 loss at UC Davis. Hawaii will look to guard Bailey Flavell to orchestrate its offense. She is coming off a 13-point, six-assist performance in 37 minutes against UC Irvine and has averaged 12.2 points over her last five games. Forward Imani Perez, who played all 40 minutes and scored 10 points with two blocks in that contest, provides a consistent interior presence. Cal Poly’s hopes will lean heavily on forward Charish Thompson, who has been a bright spot during the team’s struggles. She is averaging 14 points over her last five contests, including a 20-point outing in a win over Long Beach State on Jan. 3 and an 18-point effort in the most recent loss to UC Davis. The matchup is the first of two between the teams this season; they will meet again in San Luis Obispo on Feb. 19. Hawaii holds a slight advantage in the early conference standings, though both teams are below .500 overall. Defensive intensity will likely be a key factor. Hawaii’s last three losses have been by an average of just 7.3 points, suggesting an ability to keep games close. Cal Poly, meanwhile, has faced several lopsided defeats but showed it can be competitive in conference play with its 14-point victory over Long Beach State earlier this month. Tipoff is set for 9 p.m. local time at Stan Sheriff Center. Hawaii continues its homestand against UC Santa Barbara on Saturday, while Cal Poly returns home to host the Gauchos on Jan. 22.