Women’s March Madness: Wahine self-assured after learning of UCLA matchup

Their is little fear or hesitation for the University of Hawaii women’s basketball team. The Rainbow Wahine are brimming with confidence as they get set to storm Los Angeles to play UCLA.

A day after the men’s team did the same, it was the Wahine’s turn Monday to learn their NCAA tournament destination. It took while, but the Big West champion was in a festive mood in Honolulu and adopted an in-it, to win-it attitude under coach Laura Beeman after learning it was seeded 14th in the Bridgeport Regional.

“It took forever,” senior Destiny King told UH-Manoa television of the selection show. “You have to go through the commercial breaks, but it was worth it.”

Hawaii (21-10) will face third-seeded UCLA (24-8) on its home court in a first-round game at Pauley Pavilion at 12:30 p.m. HST Saturday. The game will be televised on ESPN2.

The Rainbow Wahine ended a 18-year NCAA drought on Saturday, securing its sixth trip to the Big Dance by defeating UC Davis 78-59 in Anaheim, Calif., but don’t expect the Wahine to rest on their laurels.

“We’re not done yet,” coach Laura Beeman said.

“We’re ready to play,” she said. “Our intent is not just to be excited to be in this tournament. Our intent is to get in this tournament and win it.

“I know a lot of people will hear that and think I’m crazy, but I’ve been called a lot worse.”

Winners of 11 of 12, Hawaii faces a Bruins squad that is 13-1 at home and tied for fourth in the Pac-12, reaching the league tournament title game and losing to Oregon State on March 6.

Both teams were in the WNIT last season. UCLA won the title, while UH’s first three seasons under Beeman each ended at WNIT.

“(UCLA is) very athletic but it’s definitely a winnable game,” said senior Ashleigh Karaitiana, the Big West tournament MVP. “We’re looking forward to playing them and moving on.”

South Florida (23-8) and sixth-seeded Colorado State (31-1) play in the second game Saturday, with the winners meeting Monday in the second round.

No. 1 overall seed Connecticut (32-0), seeking a fourth consecutive national title, looms large in the region.

King said the team will practice in Honolulu on Tuesday and travel to Southern California on Wednesday as UH hoops fever reaches an all-time high.

It is just the second time the Rainbow Warriors and the Rainbow Wahine will be playing in the NCAA tournament together in the same year. The other was 1994.

“They know what playing for this state means,” Beeman said. “They get it.

“We’re hitting our stride. They understand what confidence and swag and playing as a team and playing connected mean. “We now just have to show up and put it on the court.”

Hawaii is 1-5 at the NCAA tournament, with its lone win coming in 1990 against Montana. The Wahine are 1-6 all-time against UCLA, with the last meeting coming in 2010 in Hilo, a 72-44 victory for UCLA, which was ranked No. 9 at the time.

The Bruins return to the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2013 and have been ranked in the Associated Press Top 25 poll for 15 consecutive weeks, checking in at No. 10 on Monday.

“I wear my (WNIT) ring a lot,” coach Cori Close said. “It reminds me of what the experience taught me.

“You have to be willing to prune down. You have to be pruned before you’re ready to blossom.”

Close’s roster includes three players who average in double figures, led by sophomore guard Jordin Canada (16.1 points pper game) senior guard Nirra Fields (15.7).

The Bruins’ lone home loss this season came Nov. 22 in a 68-65 setback against South Carolina, the top seed in the Sioux Falls Regional. The Gamecocks also beat Hawaii, 74-60 on Nov. 27 in Honolulu.

“It’s huge advantage to play at home, especially for a team in the middle of exams,” Close said.

“Laura has done a great job, and we have so much respect for her. They really reflect her in the way they compete,” she said. “We are going to do our homework. That is what we’re going to do to prepare.”