The University of Hawaii at Hilo women’s basketball team probably did its homework, and recognized that Katie Hardy didn’t come in from the cold of North Dakota, where the temperature is in the 25-degree range, to get a sun tan.
The University of Hawaii at Hilo women’s basketball team probably did its homework, and recognized that Katie Hardy didn’t come in from the cold of North Dakota, where the temperature is in the 25-degree range, to get a sun tan.
Rather, the 6-foot-1 senior forward from Minot State traveled more than 3,600 miles with her Beaver teammates to chew up opposing defenses.
In her team’s last three wins, Hardy averaged 14 points on 7 of 11 shooting, and grabbed seven rebounds as the Beavers smashed their foes by an average scoring differential of 11 points.
Her scoring rampage hit a cold streak but her teammates picked up the slack on Wednesday, and the Vulcans fell to the Beavers 69-58 at UHH gym in their season opener.
In an exhibition game against the Division I Rainbow Wahine on Oct. 29, UHH committed 25 turnover and lost 90-53.
Diondra Denton scored 24 points on 8 of 12 shooting, and Alex Haley had 24 points on 7 of 11 from the field to lead the Beavers (4-0), who converted 42 percent from the floor, including 8 of 16 from beyond the arc.
Kirstie Williams and McKenzie Mangino each scored 10 points for the Vulcans (0-1), who made 33 percent from the field, including 7 of 15 from 3-point range.
Both teams went 19 of 27 on free throws.
Alex Jacobs scored seven points and Whitney Edens added six points off the bench to help UHH tie Minot State 33-33 at halftime. Jacobs finished with nine points and Edens eight points.
The Vulcans held Hardy to just three points on 1 of 3 shooting, but couldn’t stop 5-10 guard Denton, who had 14 points in the first half. Hardy finished with just three points on 1 of 5 shooting.
The Beavers opened the second half with a 17-6 run, scoring all of their points except Haley’s 3-pointer, in the paint. Twice, Haley beat her defender off the dribble, got fouled and sank four free throws. Then she capped the scoring spurt with a long ball for a 50-39 lead with 12:52 left.
The Vuls got within 60-56 after Williams sank a 3-pointer with 2:50 remaining, but Haley answered with a three-point play and a trey to provide a bit of breathing room.
Like UHH, Minot State is a Division II team. The Beavers played three exhibition games. They beat Dickinson State, an NAIA school, 77-48, and lost to Division I foes University of Montana 75-46 and Montana State 84-71.
Last season, the Beavers finished with a 19-9 record, and lost in the NSIC tournament quarterfinals to conference powerhouse Concordia-St. Paul 73-52. Concordia-St. Paul and Wayne State have each been to four of the last five NCAA Division II championships.
In 2012-13, Minot State jumped to the Division II level from the NAIA, and finished with a 13-14 record. The previous season the Beavers were an independent and had an 11-15 mark, playing mostly on the road.