The UC Davis Aggies Women’s Basketball team (20-13, 13-7) pulled off a stunning upset against the University of Hawai’i Rainbow Wahine (20-10, 17-3) with a 51-48 victory in the semifinals of the 2024 Hercules Tires Big West Women’s Basketball Championships at the Dollar Loan Center Arena in Henderson, Nevada.

Junior guard Tova Sabel led the Aggies with 14 points, while senior guard Evanne Turner and junior forward Mazatlan Harris contributed 13 points each.

The game started with a 5-0 scoring run from the Rainbow Wahine, but the Aggies quickly responded with a three-pointer from Sabel to get on the scoreboard. The teams went back and forth, with Turner’s three-pointer narrowing the deficit to 9-6 before the first media timeout. Turner’s successful drive to the basket and subsequent free throws further closed the gap to 9-8 going into the second quarter.

In the second quarter, Hawai’i’s junior guard MeiLani McBee opened the scoring with a three-pointer, but the Aggies’ redshirt sophomore guard Victoria Baker’s bucket kept the game close at 12-10. Hawai’i then went on a 6-0 run, extending their lead to 18-10 with consecutive three-pointers from junior forward Jacque David and junior guard Daejah Phillips, the Big West Sixth Player of the Year.

The UC Davis defense intensified, leading to shot clock violations and easy points, allowing the Aggies to finish the first half with a 23-20 lead. Both teams struggled offensively, with UC Davis shooting 28% and Hawai’i at 28.6% from the field. UC Davis held a slight edge in rebounding and points off turnovers.

The trend continued in the second half, with both teams going scoreless for the first three minutes. Turner broke the deadlock with two free throws, extending the Aggies’ lead to 25-20. Sabel’s three-pointer increased the lead to 28-22, but Hawai’i’s junior guard Kelsie Imai’s fast break bucket narrowed the gap to four. The Aggies then surged ahead as Harris scored five consecutive points, expanding their lead.