Box Score Irvine, Calif. -- UC Irvine's Vanessa Aguilar hit a pair of free throws with 16 seconds remaining to secure a 76-72 victory over Cal State Northridge Saturday at the Bren Center.
The win evened UCI's record to 13-13 overall and 6-6 in the Big West. The league-leading Matadors go to 13-14 on the year and 9-4 in the Big West.
Senior forward Camille Buckley posted her 13th double-double with a game-high 28 points and 16 rebounds. She went 12-14 from the line, giving her 159-203 for the year which is a new school record for free throws attempted and tied for made in a season. She also added two assists, a block and two steals in 38 minutes of action.
UCI's Jennifer Tsurumoto went 5-10 from the field and 3-3 from the free throw line for 14 points. Kelly Meggs knocked down three three-pointers for nine points, while junior Methlyn Onogomuho and Jasmine Bernard each totaled eight points. Vanessa Aguilar added five points and four assists and guard Madison McKenney chipped in four points.
UCI shot 46.4 percent (26-56) for the game, which was the third best shooting performance on the year. The Anteaters were 14-26 (53.8%) in the first half. UCI was 20-24 from the line (83.3%) and 4-9 (44.4%) from three-point distance. Cal State Northridge went 26-64 from the field (40.6%) and 10-24 (41.7%) from long distance. CSUN controlled the glass, out-rebounding UCI 42-30.
Cal State Northridge had a trio of players in double-digit scoring led by Ashlee Guay with 20 points and followed by Janae Sharpe and Cinnamon Lister with 15 points each.
UCI went on a 9-2 run to take a 34-26 lead with 4:02 left in the half. UCI continued to lead by eight (36-28) before Northridge would go on a 9-2 spurt, hitting three consecutive three-pointers, including a 30-footer by Ashlee Guay at the buzzer to cut UCI's halftime lead to 38-37.
The Anteaters led by as many as 10 in the second half and held 67-60 advantage on a pair of Camille Buckley free throws with 5:07 left. The Matadors scored seven of the next nine points to close within 69-67 at 2:56. A Jennifer Tsurumoto three-pointer was followed by two free throws by Bernadette Fong and a jumper by Methlyn Onogomuho at 1:14 to keep UCI in front 74-69. Cinnamon Lister then drained a three-pointer to narrow the UCI lead to 74-72 with 55 seconds to play. The Anteaters turned the ball over on a charge call, giving Northridge the rock with 31 seconds left. Following a CSUN timeout, a runner down the lane by Haley White bounced off the rim and Buckley collected the rebound and dished to Aguilar where she was fouled and made the final two free throws. Northridge attempted three shots in the last nine seconds, but none hit the bottom of the net.
UCI will hit the road next week, traveling to UC Santa Barbara (Feb. 27) and Cal Poly (Mar. 1).
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