BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (Interstat) — The Hawaii women’s basketball team used a dominant third-quarter surge to pull away from Cal State Bakersfield and secure a 64-52 victory in a Big West Conference game Thursday night at Icardo Center.

The Warriors, who led by just seven points at halftime, outscored the Roadrunners 25-14 in the pivotal third period to turn a competitive contest into a comfortable win. The victory improved Hawaii to 9-9 overall and evened its conference record, while Cal State Bakersfield fell to 6-13.

Hawaii guard Bailey Flavell, a sophomore from Auckland, New Zealand, led all scorers with 22 points, providing the consistent offensive punch the Warriors needed on a night where overall shooting percentages were low. Her backcourt partner, Keiara Curtis of Seattle, added 13 points and a team-high four assists, with 11 of her points coming during the second-half breakout.

The game was a defensive struggle from the opening tip. Both teams combined to miss their first 11 field goal attempts before Cal State Bakersfield’s Marley Langi connected on a three-pointer nearly 90 seconds into the game. Hawaii built a 10-7 lead after a disjointed first quarter characterized by turnovers and missed shots.

The Roadrunners hung tough in the second quarter, tying the game at 16 on a three-pointer from Maria Dias with 6:25 remaining in the half. However, they could never seize the lead. A 7-0 Hawaii run, capped by a Flavell three-pointer, restored order for the visitors, who took a 29-22 advantage into the locker room.

The decisive third quarter began with a 12-2 Hawaii run over the first four minutes. Flavell started it with a jumper, then found Imani Perez for a layup. After another Flavell basket, Curtis assisted on a Jade Peacock layup before Flavell capped the spurt with a transition jumper, forcing a Cal State Bakersfield timeout with the Warriors leading 41-24.

Hawaii’s defense fueled the run, limiting the Roadrunners to one-and-done possessions and converting turnovers into points. The Warriors’ lead ballooned to as many as 20 points late in the third quarter after a Curtis three-pointer made it 52-32. Cal State Bakersfield never got closer than 12 points the rest of the way.

For the Roadrunners, Dias, a guard from Lisbon, Portugal, and Chrishawn Coleman of Arlington, Virginia, each scored 13 points. Morgan Hawkins of Corona, California, added eight points, three assists, and three steals. Cal State Bakersfield’s offense was hampered by poor shooting, finishing the night just 16 of 63 from the field for 25.4 percent.

Hawaii was not much more efficient, shooting 42.6 percent, but the Warriors controlled the glass with a 42-31 rebounding edge. Perez, a 6-foot-4 center from Denver, contributed seven points and a game-high nine rebounds. Saniyah Neverson of Surprise, Arizona, added nine points and two blocks for Hawaii.

The Roadrunners did force 18 Hawaii turnovers, converting them into 12 steals, but their own 11 turnovers and inability to score consistently in the paint proved insurmountable. Attendance was announced at 344.

Hawaii continues its road trip Saturday at Cal State Northridge. Cal State Bakersfield travels to face Cal Poly next Thursday.

The most important part of the game was Hawaii’s 12-2 run to open the third quarter, which turned a narrow seven-point halftime lead into a commanding 17-point advantage. This burst, powered by Flavell’s scoring and stifling team defense, effectively decided the contest, as Cal State Bakersfield lacked the offensive firepower to mount a serious comeback.