HONOLULU, Hawaii - The Cal State Fullerton Titans women's basketball team dropped a close game at the University of Hawaii on Thursday in a 66-61 loss at the Simplifi Arena at the Stan Sheriff Center. Â
The Titans (7-13, 3-7 BWC) held a 25-22 lead at halftime and continued to lead with 5:58 left to go in the game but were unable to hang on for the win at Hawaii. The Rainbow Wahine are currently on a 10-game winning streak against the Titans. The Titans have now dropped three straight Big West games and remain in a three-way tie with Long Beach State and Cal State Bakersfield for the eighth and final spot that qualifies for the Big West Tournament. Â
Ashlee Lewis had one of the best games of the season after scoring a season-high 25 points and hauling in 13 rebounds for her fourth double-double of the season.  She did that on 10-for-12 shooting and was perfect 5-for-5 from the free-throw line. Â
Hope Hassmann added 11 points and
Gabi Vidmar also had 10 points for the Titans.  The Titans outshot Hawaii 43% to 41% from the field and 23% from the 3-point line vs Hawaii's 17%.  Daejah Phillips led Hawaii with 22 points with 18 points coming in the second half.
The Titans played their most solid stretch of basketball once again in the first quarter of the game.  After Hawaii went ahead on a 3-pointer, the Titans responded on a 11-0 run. Â
Hope Hassmann and
Gabi Vidmar both made three-pointers and
Ashlee Lewis completed an And-1 play after being hacked on a layup.
The Titans led 16-11 after the first quarter.
The Titans continued to hold onto their lead in the second quarter after Hawaii tied the game at 18-18 with 5:56 left in the second quarter. Â
Fujika Nimmo hit a 3-pointer to put the Titans back ahead and they got buckets from
Ashlee Lewis and
Hope Hassmann to close out the quarter on top 25-22.
In the third quarter, the Titans stretched their lead to 31-25 after
Ashlee Lewis made consecutive baskets and
Gabi Vidmar made a layup. The Rainbow Wahine tied it at 33-33 before Vidmar hit a 3-pointer to put the Titans back up by three at 36-33.
Hawaii however took a 1-point lead after Daejah Phillips made a three-pointer and two free throws to end the quarter. Â The Rainbow Wahine led 45-44 after the third quarter.Â
The Titans and Rainbow Wahine traded baskets for the first few minutes of the fourth quarter with
Eva Levingston and Daejah Phillips leading both their respective sides. However, Phillips was able to goad Levingston to pick three of her five fouls in the first four minutes of the quarter to get the Titan freshman out of the game with 5:31 left in the game.
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Hawaii went on a 6-0 run to get some separation away from the Titans before the Titans got a bucket back from
Ashlee Lewis at 3:03 to make it a 57-53 game. Â
The Titans pulled to within one point at 59-58 with 1:13 left and continued to have their opportunities to tie the game late as
Kathryn Neff went 1-for-2 down the stretch on the free throw line with 24 seconds left to keep it a one-point game at 60-59. After Hawaii went ahead 62-59 with 23 seconds left, the Titans drew an inbounds play for a
Gabi Vidmar three-pointer from the wing but the open look came up short.Â
The Titans got a late consolation bucket from
Fujika Nimmo and Hawaii made two free throws to end the game and close the win over the Titans
The Titans will return home for two games next week against UC Davis on Thursday and Cal State Bakersfield on Saturday. Â Thursday's tip-off is set for 7 PM.a
NOTES: Gabi Vidmar played her 99th career game for the Titans on Thursday night. Her next apperance will be her 100th in a Titans uniform, joining
Kathryn Neff as the second Titan to reach that number this season. Â
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