MOSCOW, Idaho ? Katie Madison had 26 points. That almost is expected. That her University of Idaho teammates between them could muster only another 17 left coach Mike Divilbiss baffled and the Vandals losing their sixth straight ? 64-43 to Hawai`i.

True, Hawai`i is on a roll with its eighth successive victory but the Vandals' ineffectiveness in a season of struggles left Divilbiss shaking his head after the Thursday night Western Athletic Conference game at the Cowan Spectrum.

“This is not the way we've been playing,” Divilbiss said after Idaho dropped to 5-21, 2-13 in the WAC. “This is just real disappointing. This game was not reflective of how we've been playing.”

Hawai`i, which improves to 15-12, 9-6, made a statement early. With Tanya Smith working almost at will inside, the Rainbow Wahine led by seven midway through the first half and by 18, 34-16, at the break. The offense Idaho did have was fueled by Madison, who scored 10 of her game-leading points in the opening half.

Help still wasn't on the way as the second half unfolded. Idaho finally did make its first 3-point goal when Lindsey Koppen connected with 11:48 to play. But, the Vandals already had missed 13 during a night in which they made just one of 16 ? six percent compared to the 31.4 they've averaged during conference play.

Long-range shots didn't provide their only woes. They were 17 of 54 from the field ? 31.5 percent compared to a conference average of 38 percent, and from the free-throw line they were a dismal 57 percent.

“Right now, the important thing is to find a way to compete and decide to compete,” said Divilbiss, whose team closes the regular season at home Saturday night against San Jose State. “We didn't compete tonight.”

Madison and Sara Dennehy were Idaho's rebound leaders with seven each as the Vandals lost a 43-35 battle on the boards. Three Hawai`i players ? Pam Tambini (15), Smith (12) and Amy Kotani (12) ? had double-figure scoring nights, while Smith and Tambini both pulled down 11 rebounds apiece.