HILO, Hawaii – Junior forward
Kimani Fernandez scored 17 points to help top-ranked Alaska Anchorage overcome a late 12-point deficit, but Hawaii Hilo managed the final seven points in overtime to earn a 76-73 upset Sunday at Afook-Chinen Auditorium.
The Seawolves (8-1) also got 13 points and seven rebounds from senior forward
Sala Langi as the longest current win streak in NCAA Div. II women's basketball was snapped at 24 games.
The Vulcans (5-2) were led by 21 points from guard Mandi Kawaha, who scored the game-winning jumper with 27 seconds left in overtime, then made a steal and layup for the final margin. Heaven Samayoa-Mathis added 15 points on 5-of-7 shooting as the hosts shot 50 percent from the field and 8 of 14 from long range.
"We did not execute defensively for the first three and a half quarters and overtime, and we missed too many layups early, which put us in a position of having to dig out of a big hole," said UAA head coach
Ryan McCarthy, whose team was whistled for 32 fouls. "I was proud of the tenacity we showed in coming back, but unfortunately it just wasn't enough tonight. We will use this as a learning experience and be hungry to come back strong after the break."
UAA led for only 30 seconds of regulation, falling behind 36-30 at halftime and 62-54 after three quarters. Samayoa-Mathis nailed a three-pointer to give the Vulcans a 60-48 lead with 7:23 remaining, but the Seawolves' pressure defense finally began paying dividends.
Jazzpher Evans scored four straight points to cut the deficit to 64-60, and a turnover by Kawaha led directly to a feed from
Jahnna Hajdukovich to Fernandez for a layup. UAA tied it when Evans picked Kawaha's pocket in the backcourt and scored with two minutes remaining, and both teams missed opportunities in the final minute.
Langi scored back-to-back inside buckets to give UAA a 73-69 lead with 1:42 left in overtime before the Vulcans answered with three free throws over the next minute. Seawolf point guard
Nicole Pinckney was fouled with 32 seconds remaining, but two missed free throws led to renewed life for Hilo, which got the game-winner from Kawaha on the ensuing possession.
The Seawolves had a final shot to tie, but could not get a good look as
Lauren Johnson's attempt was deflected by Samayoa-Mathis at the buzzer.
The loss was UAA's first in 10 all-time meetings against Hilo and the program's first since a 71-64 road loss to Western Washington on Jan. 23, 2020. The 24-game win streak was the second-longest in program history, falling two short of the mark set by the 2016-17 squad.
Playing on her home island, Fernandez shot 8 of 10 from the field and grabbed three of her four rebounds on the offensive end as the Wailuku (Kamehameha HS) product surpassed her previous scoring high by five points.
Evans finished with six points, two steals and a career-high eight rebounds, while sophomore center
Miyah Lewis-Hampton gave the Seawolves a lift with a career-high eight points, shooting 2 of 2 from the floor and 4 of 4 on free throws.
UAA returns to league play Dec. 30 when it hosts its first Great Northwest Athletic Conference home game since Feb. 2020, facing Seattle Pacific at the Alaska Airlines Center. Tip is set for 5:15 p.m. as the first half of a women's/men's doubleheader. Surf to GoSeawolves.com for tickets.
