Box Score Irvine, Calif. – UC Irvine cruised past Chapman, 86-58 in their final exhibition game at the Bren Events Center Saturday.
Freshman Jenny Dee came off the bench and knocked down 5-8 from beyond the arc and ended with 17 points. Freshman Chloe Kellum added 13 points and eight rebounds, while sophomore Mokun Fajemisin recorded a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds. Sophomore Shereen Sutherland tallied 10 points and seven boards and freshman guard Tierra Hicks also pitched in 10 points, Seniors Madison McKenney and Methlyn Onogomuho each added eight points with Onogomuho firing six assists. Junior guard Raelyn Cheung-Sutton had a team-high seven assists.
The Anteaters shot 50 percent from the field (29-58) for the game and knocked down 9-14 from long distance (64.3%). UCI out-rebound Chapman 40-30.
Chapman was led by Jamie Hum-Nishikado with 14 points, going 5-6 from the floor and 4-5 from three-point distance. Natalia Ebrahimian recorded 13 points and a team-high five rebounds. Andrea Villanueva had a game-high nine assists.
The scoring started slowly until UCI scored seven straight to open a 14-6 lead at 12:42. Chapman answered with a 10-3 spurt of their own to narrow the margin to 17-16 ( 9:21). Redshirt freshman Jenny Dee ignited a 14-0 run, hitting back-to-back three-pointers to break open the half with UCI taking a 36-22 lead at 2:44. The Anteaters shot 60.9 percent from the floor (14-23) in the first half, including 4-5 three-pointers to hold a 45-27 lead at the break.
Chapman would get no closer than 15 points in the second half as UCI led by 30 on a Chloe Kellum free throw with 1:27 remaining before Irma Munoz closed the scoring with a jumper, 86-58.
UC Irvine opens the regular season on the road traveling to Northern Arizona next Friday (Nov. 14). The game will be carried by KUCI 88.9 FM and can be heard online at www.ucirvinesports.com.
