Basketball: Hawaii vs. UC Irvine

National anthem and Hawaii Ponoi:  Kalae Camarillo and another guy. The announcer completely butchers Camarillo's name. The entire softball team seems to be in attendance. Ways to increase attendance at women's basketball games:  Have Kalei Adolpho ask the women's volleyball team to attend, plant them in the middle of what is usually the student section, and give them plenty of camera time. Bonus:  have them bring signs. Even bigger bonus:  Have them sing the national anthem and Hawaii Ponoi.

Starting lineup:  Ashleigh Karaitiana, Kalei Adolpho, Sydney Haydel, Monica DeAngelis, and Kamilah Martin. They have shirts and are throwing them to the crowd. Laura Beeman is wearing a ribbon or yarn lei. Positive:  it's green. Negative:  it's ugly.

20:00:  Vince Goo is honorary captain and is supposed to throw the ball up but decides to just give it to Kalei Adolpho. UC Irvine is confused. Nani Cockett:  "UC Irvine coming out with the man to man so look for a lot of penetration from Hawaii." Basketball language is kind of dirty. Hawaii 5-4. 

15:50:  Shawna Kuehu subs in to loud cheers. Or maybe the cheers were for Stephanie Ricketts who, by the way, is wearing number 00. Vicky Tagalicod also in and wearing number 24. Hawaii 10-10. Jim Leahey:  "Irvine has come back using a stubborn, stout defense." Great steal by Marissa Wimbley. Destiny King holds on to the ball and yells something to the others before giving the ball to Wimbley to inbound. Hawaii 18-14.

6:10:  Irvine's best player is reportedly not playing. It was the coach's decision which, according to Jim Leahey, means it is disciplinary. Another steal by Wimbley but she misses the layup because "she gets mugged underneath." She misses both free throws. Blocking foul called on Ashleigh Karaitiana. Jim Leahey:  "The knee got in the way." Hawaii 20-16.  

Half:  Hawaii 24-20. Stuff that happened prior:  Adolpho inadvertently sat on the basketball. Also, Adolpho wearing a green mouth guard. Neil Abercrombie in attendance. Laura Beeman not happy with the team's performance so far. Jim Leahey wonders if the constant substitutions contributed to the "lethargic, lackluster performance."  

15:12:  Hawaii leads the Big West in attendance. Huh. Someone tell Laura Beeman. Hawaii 33-28. Kamilah Martin only has four points so far. Nani Cockett says Karaitiana keeping the Wahine in the game. Hawaii 38-30. Jim Leahey just said one of the players "walked from here to Kalihi." Awesome. Distance from the University of Hawaii to Kalihi Elementary is 6.93 miles.

9:55:  Hawaii 40-32. Karaitiana's hair up from a ponytail to a bun. Same with Adolpho. Maybe Adolpho should put her hair in a braid. She played well when her hair was in a braid. My friend:  "I wonder about you sometimes." Laura Beeman seems frustrated. Irvine coach wearing a Tommy Bahama shirt. Karaitiana with her third steal.

6:15:  Hawaii 46-37. Jim Leahey:  "When you are looking at Karaitiana, you are looking at a female basketball warrior. If you bump her, she will bump you back, maybe not right away, maybe at the other side of the court. She plays a very tough brand of basketball."

4:58:  Hawaii 49-41. My friend:  "Does Kalei have a knee brace on?" Me:  "It's wrapped."  My friend:  "Is she hurt?"  Me:  "It's probably one of those precautionary things. It looks less serious than the others'."  My friend:  "Yeah, but that's how things start. I'm just thinking long run, like volleyball season."

3:40:  Hawaii 50-41. This game has not been very impressive. King at the free throw line. Jim Leahey:  "The crowd is quiet, like they are taking a final exam." Half of them are probably sleeping or already left. I bought these Chucks and this dress during the course of the game. Yes, I plan to wear them together.

Final:  Hawaii 56-46. Laura Beeman:  "I think there were a lot of people in pain watching this one. But we'll take the win even if it was ugly." She wants more people but admits that if it is not fun, people are not going to come out. Ashleigh Karaitiana is Player of the Game for Hawaii.

Post-game show:  Ashleigh Karaitiana being interviewed. She says it was a physical game; also that they were "a bit scratchy" in the first half so had to pick it up in the second half. She felt she was in a slump on the road. One of her favorite things to do is to take the charge, which is just nutty to me. I know she is saying relevant things but most of my focus is on how adorable her accent is. Ways to increase attendance at women's basketball games:  Have Ashleigh Karaitiana do player introductions.

Alright, so this game was not good. Note that I said they can be good, not that they are always good. The games can be fun! Truly! My friend:  "How many more months 'til women's volleyball season?"

Laura Beeman Money Watch

$1,000 each time turnstile attendance at home reaches 2,000:

• $1,000 (Tennessee-Martin)
• $1,000 (Baylor)

$1,500 each time turnstile attendance at home reaches 3,000: $0
$1,000 for every autograph session:

• $1,000 (Ohana Hoopfest)
• $1,000 (Hawaii Pacific)

$1,000 for every away game victory: $1,000 (UC Riverside)
Total: $5,000

Previously

The University of Hawaii women's basketball team will play against UC Irvine tonight at 7:00pm at the Stan Sheriff Center. Come and watch, Laura Beeman said ("Beeman tells Wahine fans, ‘show us the love’"):   

“I’m excited to be home. I hope we get some support," Beeman said on Tuesday. "That’s been my biggest disappointment. Everyone’s been so excited about the new staff and the new team. Well, then show up. You know me, I’m not afraid to say what I’m thinking. Show up and support us, then.”

Also:  “I’m glad it’s on TV, that’s wonderful. Watch the replay on TV," Beeman said. "But these kids deserve support and we need a sixth man like men’s basketball gets and women’s volleyball gets. We need support.”

Someone tell Laura Beeman that there are already six players on the volleyball court. But still! You should go! Tickets are only $7 ($3 for students four years old to high school, $5 for senior citizens, FREE for UH Manoa students) and you can sit anywhere you want on the lower level. It's almost guaranteed that you'll see yourself on the big screen if you want to get on the big screen and, actually, even if you don't. There is never a line for ketchup and it's really easy to get a prize. My friend has caught like three shirts so far this season!

More important, this team is really compelling. They can be good. Kamilah Martin is fantastic, Monica DeAngelis has beautiful three-point shots, Sydney Haydel is scary but in a good way, and you can practically see the talent vibrating off Ashleigh Karaitiana. For volleyball fans, Kalei Adolpho is on the team and how she is on the basketball court is so interestingly different to how she is on the volleyball court. You have to see it in person. For basketball fans, Kalei Adolpho is good at basketball.

Having said all of that, I can't go tonight because of a work-related event. I'll try to catch and not-at-all-live blog the replay. Sorry about that, coach. The game will be televised live on OCSports 16; live stream will be available on BigWestTV.com, radio on ESPN 1500, live stats at HawaiiAthletics.com.

Other basketball pre-taped intros:  Sydney Haydel, Monica DeAngelis, Ashleigh Karaitiana, and Kamilah Martin. Question from one of you: Do you think that in Stephanie Ricketts' pre-taped intro they make her juggle a softball and basketball?