CSUB women's basketball falls short against Hawaii in 51-47 loss

Jan. 28—Something unbelievable happened in the first six minutes of Saturday's game at the Icardo Center: Forward Hennie van Schaik, in her first game back in the starting lineup after a recurring ankle injury, scored 13 points as Cal State Bakersfield raced out to a 16-3 lead over Hawaii.

The remaining 34 minutes were depressingly familiar for the Roadrunners.

After leading by 13 again midway through the second quarter, CSUB saw its margin dwindle to six points at halftime, before it lost the lead altogether late in the third quarter.

In a similar conclusion to last Saturday's loss to UC Santa Barbara, the Roadrunners still had three choice attempts to tie the game or take the lead in the final seconds, but two turnovers and a missed free throw consigned them to a 51-47 loss.

"As long as we're doing good, hitting shots, we're so hyped, and really together," van Schaik said, "but then as soon as we start missing, turning the ball over, that's when everybody kind of spreads apart and that's what we're trying to work on, just to stay together and stay focused."

Van Schaik scored just five points after her early explosion, still finishing with a career-high 18 points, paired with 12 rebounds for a double-double.

If she had made it to 19, the Roadrunners could have forced overtime. She was fouled underneath by Kelsie Imai in a 48-46 game with 19 seconds remaining and made one of two free throws.

But van Schaik was in fact CSUB's best free throw shooter on the day, at 3-for-4. Her teammates were a combined 0-for-8, leading to the program's worst single-game free throw percentage, 25, in the Division I era by a wide margin. (The previous record was 38.5 percent.)

"(It's) lack of concentration, because we work on those a lot," CSUB coach Greg McCall said. "A lot. And that's something that you pride yourselves on, with the free throws. Those are easy points."

Even without the free throws, CSUB had several additional opportunities to tie the game late.

"It's all in the details when it comes to the end," van Schaik said. "We gotta set the best screen you're ever gonna set. That's the mentality you gotta have."

Sophia Tougas, the Roadrunners' second-leading scorer with 11 points, missed a potential game-tying 3-pointer with 1:40 remaining. Van Schaik blocked Lily Wahinekapu to force a shot-clock violation, and Taylor Caldwell drove to the hoop to make it 47-46 with 51 seconds left.

That was when things got dire. After van Schaik fouled Imani Perez, Perez gave CSUB a huge gift by missing both of her free throws. But the inbound from a hobbled Grace Hunter, who played just five minutes, was immediately stolen by Imai.

After Imai and Wahinekapu each went 1-for-2 at the line, CSUB got one last chance down 49-47 with 15 seconds left. Caldwell charged up the court with a defender to her left, heading for the hoop.

The ball bounced off Caldwell's left foot and out of bounds. Perez redeemed herself by making two free throws to end the game.

"I know her eyes lit up because she probably was thinking, like, 'I can't believe they're leaving me this open,' getting ready to go plant and the ball just bounces off her foot," McCall said. "... You can't blame a kid for being aggressive. It's just one of those things that happens."

The result was CSUB's sixth straight loss to Hawaii in the span of less than two years, including two Big West Conference tournament eliminations.

"Honestly, I think it's all focus for us," Tougas said. "We're right there at the doorstep ... Every game is pretty close. We're right there."

The slippery point guard Wahinekapu led Hawaii with 14 points, and Meilani McBee was close behind with 13, including three 3-pointers to help the Rainbow Wahine keep pace in their ugly first half. (Her teammates were a combined 1-for-15 from beyond the arc.)

Once Hawaii began to limit van Schaik, the CSUB offense ground to a halt as the Rainbow Wahine went on a quick 13-4 run in the third quarter. The Roadrunners lacked scoring options with Shaunae Brown and Kayla Morris out, and Caldwell and Tougas were coming off missing Thursday's game with an illness and an rheumatoid arthritis flare-up, respectively. Even van Schaik said she was "still in a lot of pain" Saturday.

Tougas scored all eight of CSUB's points during a period of more than 13 minutes entering the third quarter, as Hawaii took a 47-42 lead that it did not relinquish.

CSUB fell to 5-13 (2-8 Big West) and will travel to face UC Riverside (4-16, 2-8) Thursday. The Roadrunners beat the Highlanders in double overtime on Dec. 29.

Reporter Henry Greenstein can be reached at 661-395-7374. Follow him on Twitter: @HenryGreenstein.