SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. (Interstat) — The Hawaii women’s basketball team used a balanced offensive attack and a dominant third-quarter surge to secure a 71-54 victory over Cal Poly on Thursday night at Robert Mott Gymnasium in a Big West Conference matchup.

The Warriors, now 15-10 overall, steadily built their lead throughout the game, holding a 33-24 advantage at halftime before blowing the game open in the third period. Hawaii outscored the Mustangs 21-15 in that decisive quarter, extending their lead to 54-39 heading into the final frame and effectively putting the game out of reach for a struggling Cal Poly squad that fell to 3-23.

The most critical stretch of the contest came early in the third quarter. Leading 33-24, Hawaii opened the second half with an immediate 9-0 run, capitalizing on Cal Poly turnovers and converting them into easy baskets. The sequence began with Saniyah Neverson scoring on a layup, followed by another Neverson layup after a Cal Poly offensive foul. Keiara Curtis then stole the ball, leading to a Bailey Flavell layup. After a Cal Poly timeout failed to stop the momentum, Flavell drained a 3-pointer, forcing another Mustangs timeout with the Warriors ahead 42-24 just over two minutes into the half. This explosive run established a commanding 18-point lead from which Cal Poly, despite a game-high 22 points from Charish Thompson, would never recover.

Hawaii’s victory was a showcase of depth and efficient ball movement. Four Warriors scored in double figures, led by Bailey Flavell’s 15 points and four assists. Imani Perez and Saniyah Neverson each contributed 14 points, with Perez adding three assists. Ritorya Tamilo provided a massive spark off the bench, scoring 13 points and grabbing several key offensive rebounds in just 12 minutes of play. Her presence inside, including a blocked shot, helped Hawaii control the paint.

Cal Poly was led by the persistent efforts of Charish Thompson of Sachse, Texas, who finished with 22 points in 31 minutes. Avery Knapp of Danville added 13 points for the Mustangs, and Vanessa McManus chipped in 10 points. However, Cal Poly was plagued by turnovers and could not sustain any offensive rhythm against a disciplined Hawaii defense that consistently turned defensive stops into transition opportunities.

The Warriors set the tone early, leading 19-14 after a first quarter that saw six lead changes. They maintained that five-point edge at the half before their third-quarter explosion sealed the road win. Hawaii shot consistently across all four quarters, scoring 19, 14, 21, and 17 points respectively, while Cal Poly managed quarters of 14, 10, 15, and 15.

The game, played before an announced crowd of 409, continued a stark contrast in seasons for the two programs. Hawaii solidified its position in the upper tier of the Big West with its third consecutive victory, while Cal Poly’s difficult season continued with its seventh straight loss.

Hawaii next travels to face UC Santa Barbara on Saturday. Cal Poly will look to end its skid when it visits Long Beach State next Thursday.

According to Interstat’s ELO system, Hawaii entered the game with a 90.20 percent probability to win, a projection the Warriors fulfilled with a methodical and team-oriented performance on both ends of the court. The decisive third-quarter run, fueled by defensive pressure and unselfish offense, proved to be the defining chapter in a contest that ultimately followed the season-long trajectories of both teams.