91Ö±²¥

This double-digit lead was never in jeopardy.

In a sign of how far 91Ö±²¥ has come since blowing a 14-point lead in the fourth quarter of its Big West Conference opener against UC Davis in early December, the Rainbow Wahine basketball team not only held on to this one, but built off of it, turning a nine-point lead into a 67-46 blowout in front of 835 fans on Thursday night at Bankoh Arena at Stan Sheriff Center.

Bailey Flavell led the Rainbow Wahine with 16 points and eight rebounds and Saniyah Neverson and Keiara Curtis added 15 points apiece.

91Ö±²¥ (17-10, 11-6 Big West) has won 11 of 12 and snapped a five-game winning streak by UC Davis (21-8, 14-4), which had won nine of 10.

It’s the third consecutive season the two teams have split their regular-season meetings, with each team winning at home every time.

“Very different from the first time we played,” 91Ö±²¥ coach Laura Beeman said. “I though the ball movement, particularly in the fourth quarter, was outstanding. To be able to do what we wanted to do in that second half was really fun to see.”

91Ö±²¥ began conference play watching the Aggies score the final 18 points to pull out a four-point home win on Dec. 4.

UH led 42-33 entering the fourth quarter in the rematch and was never threatened. UH stretched the lead as high as 24 points on a 3-point play from Curtis, who scored in double figures for the first time in her past three games.

“Just the energy and playing off of each other felt really good,” Curtis said. “I think that’s what changed the game was realizing we can drive, draw two, kick it out, and even if the shot isn’t there, get it back and do something. It all felt good.”

UH moved within one game of idle Cal State Fullerton for fourth place in the conference standings with three games to go.

The Rainbow Wahine will host the Titans in their regular-season home finale on Saturday in a rematch of an 82-80 win by the Titans on Dec. 6.

“It’s extremely important. We want to get a good seeding going into the tournament,” said Neverson, who was 3-for-3 from 3-point range. “We want to keep the momentum going when we get there, so it’s super important.”

91Ö±²¥ shot 45.5% (10-for-22) from the 3-point line and scored 17 points off 11 Aggies turnovers.

UH had 12 turnovers but allowed only seven points off them.

Flavell led a rebounding effort that helped UH outboard UC Davis 41-30.

The Rainbow Wahine somehow went the entire first quarter without a free throw despite repeatedly taking the ball to the rim.

Nya Epps scored all nine points for the Aggies, who trailed 11-9 after a short jumper from Kyra Webb.

91Ö±²¥, which shot 5-for-14 from the field despite getting multiple no calls on drives to the rim with contact, kept at it the rest of the half.

Neverson’s 3-pointer from the right wing capped a quick 5-0 Rainbow Wahine run in the opening minute of the second quarter.

Izzy Forsyth buried a 3-pointer and Flavell’s fast-break layup off a steal by Ritorya Tamilo prompted UC Davis to call a timeout with 3:48 left trailing by double digits for the first time at 24-13.

Flavell added two free throws to increase the UH run to 10-0 before Epps’ lefty hook shot in the paint put her in double figures.

91Ö±²¥, which led 30-20 at halftime, gave up five quick points to Avery Sussex to start the third quarter, allowing the Aggies to cut the deficit in half.

UCD got as close as four points before a Webb 3 and a Tamilo short jumper pushed 91Ö±²¥’s lead to 42-33 entering the fourth quarter.

UH scored 10 points in two minutes to start the final quarter and never looked back. Neverson bookended a 10-2 run with 3-pointers to prompt an Aggies timeout with 7:53 to go trailing 53-35.

A left-handed driving layup by Rebecca Moors pushed the lead into the 20s at 58-37 with 5:28 to go.

“Great adjustments in the second half, but we just need to continue to grow,” Beeman said. “This is the right time to be kind of peaking, and hopefully that’s right where we are.”