UC San Diego defeats Hawai‘i to win 2026 Big West women’s title as opponent falls short

Championship game at Lee’s Family Forum ends UC San Diego’s run with another conference trophy

UC San Diego won the 2026 Big West women’s basketball tournament championship on Saturday, March 14, defeating Hawai‘i 60–48 at Lee’s Family Forum in Henderson, Nevada. The result delivered the conference’s automatic bid to the 2026 NCAA Division I women’s tournament to the Tritons.

The title game followed a Big West tournament held March 11–14 at the same Henderson venue, with the championship serving as the final contest of the women’s bracket. UC San Diego entered the postseason as the No. 2 seed, while Hawai‘i reached the final as the No. 4 seed.

How the game turned after halftime

The scoring flow pointed to a decisive second half for UC San Diego. Hawai‘i led 28–20 at halftime, but UC San Diego outscored the Rainbow Wahine 40–20 over the final two quarters to pull away. Quarter-by-quarter scoring reflected the shift:

• First quarter: Hawai‘i 13, UC San Diego 9
• Second quarter: Hawai‘i 15, UC San Diego 11
• Third quarter: UC San Diego 20, Hawai‘i 9
• Fourth quarter: UC San Diego 20, Hawai‘i 11

The 12-point margin in the final score matched the scale of the turnaround, with UC San Diego’s third-quarter surge creating separation that held through the final period.

Context: UC San Diego’s position in the conference

UC San Diego arrived in Henderson after finishing the regular season as Big West co-champions. The Tritons ended conference play tied atop the standings with UC Irvine and secured the No. 2 seed for the tournament.

The championship continued a recent run of postseason success for the La Jolla-based program. UC San Diego also won the Big West tournament in 2025, when it defeated UC Davis 75–66 in the title game, marking the program’s first Big West tournament championship since joining the conference in 2020.

What the championship means next

By winning the conference tournament title, UC San Diego claimed the Big West’s automatic berth in the 2026 NCAA tournament. The selection process and bracket placement determine the Tritons’ next opponent and site, but the Big West champion’s path is set by the league’s automatic qualification.

Final: UC San Diego 60, Hawai‘i 48 — Big West women’s basketball championship, March 14, 2026 (Henderson, Nevada).