HONOLULU — This lockdown effort was worth just a little bit more.

The Hawaii women’s basketball team made rival UC Davis its latest defensive victim as the Rainbow Wahine topped the Aggies, 56-46, in front of 871 (1,652 tickets issued) at the Stan Sheriff Center on Thursday night to run their winning streak to six games.

UH (12-6, 6-2 Big West) has held each team over that span to 50 points or fewer to help it move a game off the conference lead after an 0-2 start.

Coach Laura Beeman credited her assistant coaches for delving whole-heartedly into defensive scouts on opponents, as well as her players for buying in.

“They (the assistants) know tendencies, they know shades, they know close-outs. I have cut my teeth for 30 years now on defense,” Beeman said. “I like offense, it’s great, you have to have offense to win, but I have always been a defensive-minded coach and to find someone who is so aligned with the way I think as in Coach Flo (Derrick Florence), and the way he teaches and presents things to these young ladies, it’s fabulous.

“But the credit goes to these guys (players) for them to execute what we’re asking and I think they really trust us as a coaching staff to say ‘the work is there, we need to trust the process.’”

Point guard Lily Wahinekapu was in command most of the way with 11 points, and UH continues to improve at getting the ball to its productive posts. Each member of the Wahine “Big Three” of Imani Perez, Ritorya Tamilo and Brooklyn Rewers was effective against the Aggies.

Rewers came off the bench to score a game-high 12 points and had a key block of UC Davis’ top scoring threat, guard, Tova Sabel, in the fourth quarter. Perez scored 11 with nine rebounds and went 3-for-3 on 3-pointers, and Tamilo also had to be respected on some mid-range shots and finished with seven points.

UH earned a measure of payback after it won the Big West regular season outright last year, only to fall to UCD in the Wahine’s first BWC tournament game in the semifinal round.

The Aggies (12-7, 6-3), who strung together five years of regular-season titles until the last three campaigns, remain a championship threat. They entered the night leading the league in a host of categories, including scoring average at over 70 points per game and 3-point efficiency.

UH held the visitors to 1-for-21 shooting from long range, including a few air balls.

Up next: conference co-leader UC Irvine (13-5, 7-1) for what should be a festive gathering for “Beeman’s Bigger Bash” on Saturday night.

UH, in an effort to drive up attendance to break the program record, is giving out Beeman bobbleheads to the first 1,000 fans through the doors. During the game, it will give out 1,000 custom-designed “sUHrf City” T-shirts. Keiki 18 and under will get in free.

The program attendance record for tickets issued is 6,192 from Nani Cockett's senior night on Feb. 14, 1998. UH passed out 5,068 for last year's "Beeman Bash" game against UC Santa Barbara.

“It’s going to be another good game for us, another challenge for us and I think we’re ready for that,” Rewers said. “We’re going to try to carry this energy that we have tonight and the things we’re learned and how we’ve grown as a team into Saturday. And then having the support for everyone coming for Beeman’s Bash, I think that’ll be a good environment.”

Wahinekapu and Jovi Lefotu combined to score all the points during a 10-0 Rainbow Wahine run in the second quarter that pushed the lead to 14. The sisters from Kaneohe and Iolani School connected on back-to-back 3-pointers.

“That was so fun, that little run right there, that made me so happy and made me want to be in the moment more,” the senior Wahinekapu said. “I’m probably going to cherish that moment.”

UCD closed the half on a 9-0 run to get within 26-21 at intermission. UH maintained the lead throughout the second half but had to turn back a few Aggie runs to within striking distance.

Wing MeiLani McBee remained at 190 career 3-pointers made, 15 shy of matching Amy Atwell for the program record. But she broke a tie with Atwell for 3-pointers hoisted, now owning that to herself at 541 and counting.

McBee also moved into a tie with Atwell for the most games played in program history at 126.

Brian McInnis covers the state’s sports scene for Spectrum News Hawaii. He can be reached at brian.mcinnis@charter.com.