UC Irvine Travels Up The 405 Freeway To LMU Thanksgiving Classic
November 26, 2013 | Women's Basketball
THIS WEEK
UC Irvine at Loyola Marymount· Friday, Nov. 29 · 3:00 p.m. · Gersten Pavilion
Radio Live Stats Video
Montana/North Dakota State · Saturday, Nov. 30 · 1/3:00 p.m. PST · Gersten Pavilion
Radio Live Stats Video
QUICK HITS
UC Irvine will participate in the DoubleTree Los Angeles Westside Thanksgiving Classic Friday and Saturday (Nov. 29-30) in Gersten Pavilion.
The tournament features Loyola Marymount, Montana and North Dakota State. The Anteaters will open with the host Lions on Friday at 3:00 p.m. The losers of Friday's games will play in the consolation Saturday at 1:00 p.m. with the winners to follow in the championship at 3:00 p.m.
UCI is 10-6 all-time versus LMU, winning the last meeting 60-39 on Dec. 18, 2010 at the Bren Center. The last time the Anteaters visited Gersten Pavilion, they came away with a 65-62 victory on Nov. 20, 2009.
Loyola Marymount is 1-4 overall this year, losing to Long Beach State 76-66 last Saturday.
The Anteaters are 0-2 against Montana, losing the last contest 76-64 on Dec. 12, 1987. The Lady Griz are 2-0 this season and will travel to Denver Wednesday.
UCI and North Dakota State have not played each other. The Bison are 1-4 on the year.
The Anteaters will travel to the Lady Griz Classic next week (Dec. 6-7) for another potential match-up against Montana.
UCI is in the middle of a nine game road trip, playing 11 of 14 non-conference games away from the Bren Center. The Anteaters don't return to Irvine until Dec. 18 when the take on New Mexico State.
The Anteaters have started the year 3-2 overall for the first time since the 2008-09 season when the club also began the year with a 3-2 mark.
Entering the week, UCI is tied with Hawaii for the best record in the Big West.
UCI is ranked 17th in the nation in Turnovers Per Game, giving away just 12.0 per contest.
The Anteaters are averaging 70.8 points per game, which is second best in the Big West. UCI has recorded 63 points or more in four of the first five contests this season after totaling 63 or more only eight times a year ago. The Anteaters had a season-high 50 points in the first half against Denver last week, which was more than UCI scored in 12 complete games in 2012-13.
Last week, UCI split a pair of games, beating Denver 78-73 then falling to Idaho 68-63.
Guard Madison McKenney posted back-to-back career-highs with 15 points against the Pioneers and then 22 versus the Vandals. Over two games last week, she shot .619 (13-21) from the floor and .875 (7-8) from beyond the arc. She was also perfect from the line (4-4). McKenney is third on the team in scoring with a 10.8 average. She leads the team and is third in the Big West in field goal percentage (.541) and ranks second in the conference in three-point field goal percentage (.615).
Forward Camille Buckley recorded her second double-double of the year with a 18-point and 13-rebound performance against Idaho. Versus Denver, she took over the second half scoring 19 of her career-high 21 points and grabbing five of her eight rebounds in the final 20 minutes. For the year, Buckley leads the team with a 16.0 points and 10.2 rebounds average. She ranks seventh in scoring and second in rebounding among Big West players.
UCI leads the Big West in field goal percentage defense at .360 (113-314) and blocked shots at 4.00 per outing. The Anteaters rank second in scoring (70.8), scoring margin (+0.2), rebounding offense (45.0), offensive rebounds (16.40), turnover margin (+3.80) and assist/turnover margin (1.02).
Jennifer Tsurumoto is second on the team and is ranked 13th in the Big West with a 13.0 scoring average. She is eighth in the league in free throw percentage (.818) and fourth in three-pointers made (1.80).
Sophomore Mokun Fajemisin ranks second in the Big West in blocks with 2.00 per game. The forward is fourth on the team in scoring (6.8) and third in rebounding (4.8).
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