Eugene, Ore. – Four UC Irvine women's basketball players recorded double-figure points to lift the Anteaters to a 62-48 victory over Nicholls Stare in the first game of the Global Sports Cage Classic at the Matthew Knight Arena Thursday afternoon.
It is the Anteaters first win of the season (1-4) as Nicholls State falls to 1-3. Sophomore
Jacquelyn Marshall led UC Irvine with 14 points, hitting 6-11 from the floor and grabbing six rebounds. Sophomore Pernilla Hanson sparked the Anteaters in the second half, scoring 10 of her 12 points in the final 20 minutes. She was 5-5 from the floor, including 2-2 three-pointers in 16 minutes of action. Senior Kassandra McCalister was 5-10 from the floor for 10 points, while junior Jazmyne White added 10 points and a career-high six steals. Sophomore Jasmine Bernard had a team-high seven rebounds, four points, a block and two steals in 12 minutes.
The Anteaters shot 53.6 percent (15-28) in the second half and 45 percent (27-60) for the game. Nicholls State shot 37.3 percent (19-51), the lowest shooting percentage by an UCI opponent this season. The Anteaters out-rebounded the Colonels, 37-27.
Sumar Leslie led Nicholls State with 14 points and a game-high nine rebounds. KK Babin added nine points followed by Alisha Allen with eight points and seven rebounds.
Nicholls State held a 8-6 lead with 11:49 to go in the first half before UCI would score eight straight on six points by Jacquelyn Marshall and a layup by Anete Klintsone to take a 14-8 advantage at 8:18. The Anteaters would score the last four points of the half on layups by Pernilla Hanson and Kassandra McCalister to hold a 26-20 lead at the intermission.
The Anteaters opened the second half on a 19-4 run holding the Colonels scoreless for five minutes to widen the gap to 45-24 on a basket down low by Jazmyne White with 11:48 remaining. Nicholls State would try to rally with an aggressive trapping defense and closed within 10 (50-40) at 6:37. The Anteaters would regroup and the teams would just trade baskets to end the game.
UC Irvine will continue at the Global Sports Cage Classic, battling host Oregon tomorrow at 2:00 p.m. then facing Weber State Sunday at 11:30 a.m.
