EUGENE, Ore. — The University of Hawai‘i women’s basketball team began a new era under first-year head coach Khalilah Mitchell on Monday night, falling 87-54 to Oregon in its 2026-27 season opener at Matthew Knight Arena despite career-best performances from Bailey Flavell and Ritorya Tamilo.
Flavell scored a career-high 24 points on 7-of-11 shooting, while Tamilo delivered a double-double with 14 points and a career-best 12 rebounds. Tamilo also recorded seven blocked shots, finishing one shy of the program's single-game record.
The Rainbow Wahine (0-1) showed flashes of promise in Mitchell's debut, particularly during a strong second quarter, but struggled to overcome Oregon's defensive pressure, outside shooting and dominance on the offensive glass.
The Ducks forced 23 Hawai‘i turnovers, recorded 18 steals and turned those mistakes into a 36-12 advantage in points off turnovers. Oregon also outrebounded Hawai‘i 50-35, collecting 24 offensive rebounds and outscoring the Rainbow Wahine 24-7 in second-chance points.
Mallory Heyer led Oregon with 16 points, connecting on four of eight attempts from 3-point range. Ehis Etute added 15 points and 14 rebounds, while Katie Fiso finished with 14 points and nine assists. Ari Long contributed 14 points and six steals.
Hawai‘i opened the game with energy as senior guard Jovi Lefotu converted a steal into a layup for the Rainbow Wahine's first basket of the season. UH built an early 6-2 lead before Oregon responded with a 14-0 run, fueled by its perimeter shooting.
The Ducks made five 3-pointers in the opening quarter and took a commanding 28-10 lead after the first 10 minutes.
Rather than allowing the game to get completely out of hand, Hawai‘i responded with its best offensive quarter of the night.
The Rainbow Wahine shot 61.5% from the field in the second quarter and outscored Oregon 23-19. Tamilo controlled the paint, scoring 10 points and blocking three shots during the period.
Her sixth blocked shot of the game helped trigger a fastbreak layup by Teyahna Bond just before halftime, cutting Oregon's lead to 47-33 and giving Hawai‘i momentum heading into the locker room.
Oregon regained control in the third quarter, however, using an 11-0 run to pull away. The Ducks extended their advantage to 71-43 entering the final period and cruised to the 33-point victory.
Despite the loss, Hawai‘i received encouraging individual performances as Mitchell began her tenure leading the program.
Tamilo's seven blocked shots increased her career total to 96, moving her into ninth place on Hawai‘i's all-time list. Her presence in the paint provided one of the Rainbow Wahine's biggest bright spots against a physically imposing Oregon frontcourt.
Flavell also delivered an impressive offensive performance, scoring efficiently while establishing a new career high. Liz Udeze added seven points in her Hawai‘i debut, freshman Taryn Bond contributed five points and Lefotu finished with a team-high three assists.
The loss highlighted the challenges facing Mitchell as she works to establish her system and develop chemistry with a roster featuring returning players and newcomers. Hawai‘i's ability to compete offensively in the second quarter offered encouragement, but the turnovers and rebounding disparity proved too much to overcome against a Big Ten opponent.
Oregon coach Kelly Graves praised the Rainbow Wahine after the game, saying, "That's a good program with some talent, a lot of talent." He also called the victory a good start for his team. The game drew 3,856 fans to Matthew Knight Arena.
The opener also marked Hawai‘i's first season as a member of the Mountain West Conference, adding another transition for Mitchell's program.
The Rainbow Wahine will continue their season-opening road trip Thursday when they travel to the Bay Area to face San Francisco. Tipoff is scheduled for noon Pacific time and 10 a.m. Hawai‘i time.