New-look Seawolves. Same old results.

With eight new players logging minutes and with Rebecca Kielpinski's retired jersey hanging on the wall, the UAA women's basketball team opened the season in familiar fashion Sunday, pummeling Hawaii-Hilo 100-48 behind coach Tim Moser's trademark defensive pressure and the first-half finesse and ferocity of Hanna Johansson and Nicci Miller.

UAA hounded Hilo with a display of dominance and depth reminiscent of last season, when the Seawolves ran up a 31-4 record and went to the NCAA Division II national semifinals for the second year in a row.

The Seawolves outrebounded the Vulcans 42-16, the second fewest rebounds allowed by any UAA team. They forced almost all of Hilo's 34 turnovers and blocked five shots. They shot 60.3 percent from the field, including 20 of 29 (69 percent) in the second half. They piled up 24 steals. They attacked the Vulcans in waves, sending in fresh players almost every time the clock stopped and getting quality minutes from 15 people, only three of whom registered 20 or more minutes of playing time.

Poor Hilo couldn't even get a break away from the court. It was about 75 degrees when the Vulcans left the Big Island for Alaska and 2 degrees when they left the Wells Fargo Sports Complex for their hotel. They return tonight at 7 for Round Two.

"They're a great team," Hilo coach Daphne Honma said of the eighth-ranked Seawolves. "They're one of the best teams in the country. This is an opportunity to learn and grow.

"It doesn't matter if we get beat up. The kids can always learn something."

The Vulcans learned that defense and depth are still UAA's weapons of choice -- and that the Seawolves still have monsters in the middle.

Johansson, a 6-2 sophomore center, and Miller, a 5-9 senior forward, showed enough inside moves to -- at least for one game -- fill the void left by the 6-foot-2 Kielpinski, an All-American center. Miller scored a career-high 19 points and had seven rebounds to go along with four steals and three assists, and Johansson had 16 points, five rebounds and four steals before leaving in the second half with what could be a sprained ankle.

They and the rest of the Seawolves showed enough mobility and quickness to get up and down the court in a hurry. In this game, at least, UAA was a full-court team.

"This year's team is more of a running team, and that's my favorite style of basketball," Miller said. "We can run. We can go."

With five returners in the starting lineup, UAA opened with a 17-2 run. Johansson had eight points and four rebounds, Kiki Taylor had five points and two steals (which was just the start of a 12-point, four-steal, four-assist game) and Miller had four points. Along with Nikki Aden and Tamar Gruwell, the starters forced seven turnovers in five minutes.

The new kids didn't just sit and watch, though.

Kaitlin McBride (a junior transfer) came up with seven rebounds and six points. Leah Stepovich (a senior redshirt transfer) scored 11 points, including nine in a row with three quick 3s in the second half. Kelsie Gourdin (a junior redshirt transfer) blocked two shots and had seven points and nine rebounds. Sarah Herrin (a junior redshirt transfer) had a pair of steals to go with four points and four rebounds. And perhaps most intriguing of all, Torle Nenbee (a junior transfer) played way taller than 5-8 -- but a bit out of control -- to accumulate eight points and four rebounds in six eventful minutes.

"It was fun to see new girls come into the program and make a name for themselves," Miller said. "We're so united. We really are a family."

The mix of returners, redshirts and newcomers bonded during a rigorous preseason, Miller said.

"If you would've seen us this preseason, you would've been sorry for us," she said. "They worked us so hard, we had to become a family."

And Moser, who is 84-15 in three seasons with UAA, isn't done pushing his players.

"We've still got a long ways to go," he said.

Find Beth Bragg online at adn.com/contact/bbragg or call 257-4335.

Hawaii Hilo 20 28 - 48

UAA 48 52 - 100

HAWAII HILO (48)

Kimitete 5-9 2-2 13; Imai 2-10 5-8 11; Kirihara 1-4 7-8 9; Mueller 1-2 2-2 4; Pio 1-5 2-2 4; Mata 1-4 1-2 3; Corpuz 1-3 0-0 2; Harris 1-1 0-2 2; Torres 0-3 0-2 0; Camara 0-1 0-0 0; Jandoc 0-1 0-0 0; Deniz 0-1 0-0 0. Totals

13-44 19-28 48.

UAA (100)

Miller 9-13 0-0 19; Johansson 6-7 4-4 16; Taylor 4-5 2-2 12; Stepovich 4-5 0-0 11; Gourdin 3-3 2-2 9; Nenbee 3-3

2-5 8; McBride 2-4 2-3 6; Collins 2-2 0-0 4; Aden 2-6 0-0 4; Herrin 1-4 1-2 4; Gruwell 1-5 0-0 3; Wohlers 0-2 2-2 2; Martin 1-1 0-0 2; Larsen 0-2 0-2 0; Horn 0-1 0-0 0.

Totals 38-63 15-22 100.

3-point goals -- Hilo 3-15 (Imai 2-8; Kimitete 1-3; Mata 0-1; Torres 0-1; Camara 0-1; Jandoc 0-1), UAA 9-20 (Stepovich 3-3; Taylor 2-2; Miller 1-1; Gourdin 1-1; Gruwell 1-5; Herrin 1-3; Larsen 0-2; Horn 0-1; Aden 0-1; McBride 0-1). Fouled out -- Gourdin. Rebounds- Hilo 16 (Torres 4), UAA 42 (Miller 7; McBride 7). Assists -- Hilo 11 (Kirihara 3), UAA 25 (Aden 5; McBride 5). Total fouls- Hilo 15, UAA 29. Turnovers -- Hilo 34 (Imai 7), UAA 25 (3 with 4). Steals -- Hilo 6 (Kimitete 3), UAA 24 (3 with 4).

Officials -- Gabby Lujan, Bruce Corson, Jim Leich. A-397

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