Hawai'i's Senior Night was splendid against the visiting San Jose State women's basketball team.

The 'Bows started all five seniors in their final home game in fending off the Spartans, 64-53, last night before 752 fans at the Stan Sheriff Center.

Brittany Grice scored a team-high 14 points and the Rainbow Wahine extended their season-best Western Athletic Conference win streak to seven games.

"We continued to play team basketball, and we took care of business," Grice said. "I was really glad to see us end on a good note."

Hawai'i (14-12, 8-6) ran to a nine-point lead within the first four minutes and never trailed against the Spartans (4-25, 4-11), who fell behind by as many as 19 points in the second half before they cut the deficit to six in the final two minutes.

"It was a special night," Hawai'i senior co-captain Pam Tambini said. "I'm glad that we won."

The 'Bows improved to 5-0 under Pat Charity, who is serving as acting head coach for Jim Bolla. Bolla will likely miss the remainder of the season healing from lung surgery.

Hawai'i's seniors Cassidy Chretien, Grice, Amber Lee, Tambini and Janevia Taylor walked through a gauntlet of teammates, and were greeted with a loud ovation when they took their starting spots.

"Just walking through that line where everyone gives you 'five,' it was just tearful," said Lee, who scored a career-high 12 points in her first career start. "I've never experienced that. I just wanted to give it all that I had."

Taylor added 12 points and six rebounds. Tambini, the reigning WAC Player of the Week, got her eighth double-double of the season with 10 points and 10 rebounds.

"We tried to set some goals," Charity said. "We tried to keep San Jose under 60 points, and we did that. We were trying to get 50 rebounds, but we fell short there (with 43). We tried to cut down on our turnovers; we tried to get less than 15 (and had 17)."

Hawai'i took its largest lead of the game at 43-24 when Grice, who had nine of her 14 points in the second half, scored on a layup with 14:11 to go.

The Spartans — a team that upset first-place Boise State Thursday — closed to 59-53 on Brittany Powell's jumper with 1:34 remaining, but would get no closer.

"We just got outrebounded offensively," said 28-year-old San Jose State acting head coach Derrick Allen, who is filling in for Janice Richard as she undergoes cancer treatments. "They had 20 offensive rebounds. That's too many chances at the basket."

The 'Bows continued their meteoric rise in the nine-team WAC and moved into a tie for fourth place with Fresno State with two regular-season road games left. A month ago, Hawai'i shared last place after it lost on the road to the Spartans Jan. 25.

The Rainbows conclude their WAC regular season at Idaho March 1, and at Boise State March 3. The WAC Tournament is March 6 to 10 at Las Cruces, N.M.

"It's aways tough to go on the road," Charity said. "I think they're up for the challenge. We're playing at a different level than we were before. I feel real confidence from them. If we handle our business, I think we'll be OK."

Bolla watched the postgame ceremony from the tunnel leading to the court. The third-year Hawai'i coach said he took a pain pill, watched the game on TV, and felt well enough to show at the end.

"I know how much pain he's in," Tambini said. "I think it was really nice of him to share this special moment with us."

Reach Brandon Masuoka at bmasuoka@honoluluadvertiser.com.