After a grueling, three-hour morning practice, Janevia Taylor smiled when asked about the upcoming University of Hawai'i women's basketball season.

"I'm very excited to get the season started," said Taylor, a junior guard, whose Rainbow Wahine open their season hosting No. 24 Southern California on Saturday in the three-team Waikiki Beach Marriott Classic. "We're kind of getting tired of scrimmaging our alumnae."

Hawai'i returns 11 players and three starters, including preseason All-Western Athletic Conference second-team honoree Amy Sanders, a senior wing player.

Jim Bolla won't make any guarantees this season, but the second-year Rainbow Wahine coach insisted his team will become an uptempo and tough squad. WAC coaches picked Hawai'i (11-15 last season, 7th WAC) to finish fifth in the nine-team conference this season.

"I'm trying to get them to believe every time we step on the floor, we're capable of beating the team we're playing," Bolla said. "It doesn't matter if it's going to be Southern California on Saturday, or Louisiana Tech in the last regular-season game in Ruston. We need to start believing."

At the Honolulu Quarterback Club last season, a confident Bolla guaranteed the Rainbow Wahine would defeat three-time WAC champion Louisiana Tech. Hawai'i did, upsetting the visiting Lady Techsters, 79-78, in overtime in January. It was Hawai'i's first-ever victory against the Lady Techsters in 15 games since 1980.

"People ask me how much better the team is doing, I try to tell them, 'I can't believe how much better we are,' " said Sanders, a tri-captain this season. "I hope people come out to see us."

Junior post player Brittany Grice said the team's goal is to advance to the NCAA Tournament. Hawai'i last played in the NCAA Tournament in the 1997-98 season.

"It hasn't been done by a Wahine basketball team in a long time," said Grice on reaching the NCAA Tournament. "I think that's a legit goal. We want to do it for the seniors, and for us as well."

This season, Bolla wants his team to run the ball more on offense to capitalize on the team's quickness.

"Last year, we ran probably 50 percent of the time," Bolla said. "We need to run more than that. Our first goal is to beat people down the floor to get easy shots. We practice coming down the floor shooting quick, little 8- to 10-foot jumpers, and getting layups."

In addition, Bolla wants the Rainbow Wahine to shoot at least 50 percent, sink at least seven 3-point shots and grab at least 50 rebounds every game.

"We get 50 rebounds and we're shooting 50 percent, that means the other team is missing a heck of a lot of shots," Bolla said.

Bolla said he had not finalized a starting lineup as of yesterday. Sanders (12 ppg, 6.3 rpg, 2.1 apg), Grice (5 ppg, 4.2 rpg) and Taylor (11.7 ppg, 6.2 rpg, 2 apg) are returning starters. They will likely get starting assignments, while the other two starting spots could go to either senior post and tri-captain Callie Spooner (1.9 ppg, 1.3 rpg), junior wing Pam Tambini (0.9 ppg, 1.5 rpg), junior post Alofa Toiaivao (9.6 ppg, 6.7 rpg, 2.5 bpg) or junior wing Dalia Solia (2.4 ppg, 2.9 rpg), Bolla said.

Rounding out the team are: sophomore guard Shannon Nishi, sophomore guard Amy Kotani, freshman guard Catherine Cho, sophomore guard Saundra Cariaga, junior guard Cassidy Chretien, senior wing Emily Helmly, sophomore forward Tanya Smith, senior wing and tri-captain Brittney Aiwohi, and junior forward Amber Lee.

Gone are senior starters, guard Milia Macfarlane and wing Jade Abele, who is now a student assistant for the team.

Note: The Rainbow Wahine Basketball Booster Club returns this season. For information, call Natalie Webb at 778-7275 or e-mail nwebb@hawaii.edu.

Reach Brandon Masuoka at bmasuoka@honoluluadvertiser.com.