The idea that a Hawaiian team could upend a highly touted UC school was no longer alien to Hawai’i women’s basketball. Barely 24 hours before the women tipped off against UCLA on Sunday afternoon, the No. 13 men’s team had outworked No. 4 California for a shocking upset. The women knew what could happen, and knew the effort that they had to give to make it possible.
UCLA, to its credit, was just as aware of how short-lived the tournament could be for a content team.