SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (Interstat) — The Hawaii women’s basketball team used a strong fourth quarter to earn a 58-52 road victory over UC Santa Barbara on Saturday at Thunderdome. The Warriors, who trailed by two points entering the final period, outscored the Gauchos 22-17 in the fourth to secure the win. Saniyah Neverson led Hawaii with 13 points and 12 rebounds. Skylar Burke scored a game-high 16 points for UC Santa Barbara. Hawaii improved to 16-10 overall. UC Santa Barbara fell to 18-8. Attendance was 585.

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (Interstat) — In a defensive struggle defined by missed shots and grinding possessions, the Hawaii women’s basketball team leaned on a dominant performance from Saniyah Neverson to edge UC Santa Barbara 58-52 in a Big West Conference game Saturday at the Thunderdome. The Warriors (16-10, 10-4 Big West) overcame a poor offensive night by locking down the Gauchos (18-8, 10-5) and securing a critical road victory that tightened the conference standings. The game was a rematch of a Jan. 17 contest in Honolulu, which Hawaii won by 17 points. This meeting proved far more contentious. Neverson, a 6-foot-1 sophomore from Surprise, Arizona, was the decisive force, recording a double-double with 13 points and 12 rebounds while adding two assists, a steal and a block in 31 minutes. Her work on the glass was particularly vital, as she grabbed 11 defensive rebounds to repeatedly end UC Santa Barbara possessions. Her recent surge continued, following a 17-point, three-block performance against Cal State Northridge earlier in the week. The most important sequence of the game arrived late in the fourth quarter with Hawaii clinging to a narrow lead. After UC Santa Barbara’s Skylar Burke cut the deficit to 44-41 with a layup at the 4:16 mark, the Warriors responded with a decisive 7-0 run to create separation. Neverson started it by drawing a foul and sinking two free throws. Following a Gauchos miss, she then found Imani Perez for a crucial 3-pointer from the wing. On the next Hawaii possession, Keiara Curtis set up Jade Peacock for a layup, pushing the lead to 51-41 with 2:37 remaining. That burst proved insurmountable for a cold-shooting Gauchos squad. The contest was an offensive ordeal for both teams from the opening tip. Hawaii shot just 37% from the field, while UC Santa Barbara was worse at 26.6%. The Gauchos’ reliance on the 3-pointer was their undoing, as they connected on only 10 of 41 attempts from beyond the arc. Hawaii was more efficient, hitting 7 of 19 from deep and a near-perfect 11 of 12 from the free throw line. Burke led UC Santa Barbara with 16 points and six rebounds. Zoe Borter added 12 points and five rebounds, and Chauncey Andersen provided 10 points off the bench. The Gauchos managed only 14 points in the paint, compared to 26 for Hawaii, highlighting the Warriors’ interior advantage anchored by Neverson. Hawaii’s Perez, a 6-4 junior from Denver, contributed 14 points and four rebounds. Bailey Flavell of Auckland, New Zealand, added 12 points and seven rebounds. The Warriors committed 13 turnovers but forced only eight, winning the game through sheer defensive persistence and rebounding, holding a 44-36 edge on the boards. The game unfolded in methodical, low-scoring quarters. Hawaii led 13-12 after one and 27-25 at halftime. The third quarter was a nadir for both offenses, with Hawaii scoring nine points and UC Santa Barbara managing 10, sending the game to the final period with the Warriors ahead 36-35. Hawaii then found a needed offensive spark, erupting for 22 points in the fourth to seal the win. The victory moves Hawaii a half-game ahead of UC Santa Barbara in the loss column within the Big West standings. According to National Statistical’s ELO system, UC Santa Barbara had been projected with a 55.7% probability to win at home. Attendance at the Thunderdome was 585. Hawaii next hosts UC Davis on Thursday. UC Santa Barbara travels to face UC Riverside on the same night.

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (Interstat) — A pivotal Big West women’s basketball matchup with postseason implications is set for Saturday when the UC Santa Barbara Gauchos host the Hawaii Warriors at the Thunderdome. The Gauchos (17-7 overall) enter the contest with a stronger record, but the Warriors (14-10) arrive with momentum and a recent victory over UCSB. Hawaii defeated UC Santa Barbara 67-50 in Honolulu on Jan. 17, handing the Gauchos one of their more lopsided conference losses this season. Both teams are coming off home victories last Saturday. Hawaii edged Cal State Northridge 63-54 behind a standout performance from forward Imani Perez, who scored 18 points and blocked three shots. UC Santa Barbara defeated Cal Poly 63-54, led by guard Zoe Borter’s 18 points, three rebounds and three assists. Perez has been a key two-way force for Hawaii. In her last six games, she has averaged 11.8 points and multiple blocks, including a 15-point effort in a win over Long Beach State. Her interior presence will be critical against a physical UCSB squad. Borter is the engine for the Gauchos’ offense, averaging 16.3 points over her last four contests. She logged 40 minutes in tight games against UC Davis and Cal State Fullerton, underscoring her importance. However, UCSB has struggled offensively in stretches, scoring 62 points or fewer in four of its last six outings. Hawaii has won five of its last seven games, showing improved consistency. UC Santa Barbara has alternated wins and losses over its last six, seeking a sustained push as the regular season winds down. The rematch at the Thunderdome, where UCSB is 10-2 this season, provides a chance for redemption. A win would bolster the Gauchos’ conference standing, while Hawaii aims to complete a regular-season sweep and solidify its position in the upper tier of the Big West. Tip-off is scheduled for 4 p.m. PST on Saturday, Feb. 21.