Aikman Fang (@AikmanFang) – Women’s Basketball Beat Reporter
San Jose State women’s basketball (2-9, 0-0 MW) was defeated by Hawaii (2-7, 0-0 Big West) 54-43 in its final nonconference game inside the Provident Credit Union Event Center on Wednesday afternoon.
The game started as a defensive slugfest with the Spartans shooting 2-13 and the Rainbow Warriors shooting 4-15 in the opening period.
Hawaii led 8-6, despite SJSU forcing them to commit seven turnovers in the first quarter.
The Spartans stormed to a 6-0 run to open the second quarter and led 14-8 after sophomore forward Amhyia Moreland made a layup off a Rainbow Warriors’ turnover.
SJSU led 21-20 after generating 11 points off Hawaii’s 14 turnovers in the first half.
Sophomore forward Marisa Davis-Jones led SJSU women’s basketball with six points at the intermission.
Hawaii went on an 11-0 run in the middle of the third quarter and seized a 36-27 lead after a 3-pointer from sophomore guard Daejah Phillips with three minutes left in the period.
The Rainbow Warriors ended the third with a 39-31 lead after going 3-6 from beyond the arc.
SJSU was not able to make its first bucket of the fourth quarter until freshman guard Sabrina Ma sunk in a 3-pointer to cut Hawaii’s lead to 41-35 with four minutes left in the game.
The Rainbow Warriors ended the game on a 6-0 run and defeated the Spartans 54-43.
Junior guard Jasmine Singleton led the Spartans with a season-high 12 points and five steals.
“Two weeks ago we might have folded and lost by 30. . . we fought to the end, we cut into the lead late, that to me are little glimpses of the culture we’re building” said head coach April Phillips.
SJSU women’s basketball looks to bounce back when it starts Mountain West play on Dec. 29 against Nevada at the Lawlor Events Center.