The University of Hawai'i women's basketball team is gearing up for an exciting pre-holiday trip to the Valley Isle, where they will participate in the two-day Maui Classic at Seabury Hall in Makawao. The Rainbow Wahine are set to face Liberty on Friday at 7:30 p.m., followed by a showdown with Montana State on Saturday at 3:30 p.m., capping off a thrilling weekend of basketball.
The team arrives in Maui with a 5-5 record, having evened their season with a 61-47 victory over Hawai'i Hilo on December 11. This marks their 11th and 12th games of the season.
The upcoming matches pit the Rainbow Wahine against Liberty and Montana State, both ranked in the collegeinsider.com Women's Mid Major Top 25. The Liberty Flames, led by head coach Alexis Sherard, boast a 6-3 record and are fresh off a 76-61 loss to Richmond on December 13. Meanwhile, the Montana State Bobcats, under the guidance of head coach Tricia Binford, hold a 1-1 series record against the Wahine, with their last meeting dating back to December 4, 2017.
The Wahine's starting lineup features a mix of seasoned veterans and fresh talent. Bailey Flavell, a freshman guard, leads the team with 14.0 points per game, having scored in double figures in seven games. Imani Perez, a senior forward, dominates with 6.8 rebounds per game and ranks second in the Big West with 15 blocked shots (1.7 per game).
As a team, the Rainbow Wahine lead the Big West and rank 20th nationally with 5.5 blocks per game, setting a program record with 14 blocks at Cal State Fullerton on December 6. Jovi Lefotu, a redshirt junior guard, made her first start of the season against Hawai'i Hilo, contributing eight points and four rebounds. Ritorya Tamilo, a sophomore center, also made her first start, leading the team with a .525 shooting percentage.
The 'Bows' eight newcomers account for 62.1% of the team's point total this season, with the six true freshmen contributing 48.5% of their scoring. The team's strong performance is further highlighted by their impressive steals and turnovers, leading NCAA Division I with 16.8 steals per game and ranking fifth with 26.89 turnovers forced per game.
The Maui Classic marks the first time the Rainbow Wahine will participate in this prestigious tournament. Last year, they visited the Valley Isle for an exhibition game against Chaminade at the Kamehameha-Maui campus in Pukalani. The team will resume Big West play in 2026, kicking off the new year with games against UC Riverside on January 1 and UC San Diego on January 3.
