UC Irvine Tangles With Princeton At LMU Thanksgiving Classic
November 25, 2015 | Women's Basketball
THIS WEEK
Non-Conference Games
UC Irvine vs Princeton · Friday, Nov. 27 · 1:00 p.m. · Gersten Pavilion
Audio Live Stats Video
UC Irvine vs LMU/Seattle U · Saturday, Nov. 28 · 1/3:00 p.m. · Gersten Pavilion
Audio Live Stats Video
QUICK HITS
UC Irvine will participate in the Loyola Marymount Thanksgiving Classic Friday and Saturday (Nov. 27-28) at Gersten Pavilion.
The Anteaters will take on Princeton Friday at 1:00 p.m. then take on either Seattle U or host LMU at either 1:00 p.m. or 3:00 p.m. Saturday based on Friday's results.
It is the third consecutive year UCI has played in this tournament. They lost to North Dakota State, 64-61 in the championship in 2013 and lost to Bowling Green, 62-54 in the consolation last year.
Princeton holds a 1-0 series record versus the Anteaters. The lone meeting was a 78-50 Tiger victory on Nov. 27, 2009 at the Bren Center.
Princeton is 3-1 overall, dropping out of the national poll after a loss to Seton Hall (71-64) last week, but are receiving votes. The loss snapped a streak of 32-consecutive regular season wins dating back to 2014.
The Tigers beat Rider 78-59 on Tuesday.
The Anteaters hold a 3-1 series advantage over Seattle U and are 11-6 versus Loyola Marymount all-time.
On December 1, 2012, UCI beat Redhawks, 61-60 in overtime, in Seattle the last time the teams met.
UCI edged Loyola Marymount, 63-60 in the first round of the LMU tournament on Nov. 29, 2013.
Following this weekend's games, UCI will play the next four at the Bren Center
beginning with Northern Arizona on Dec. 4 at 7:00 p.m.
The Anteaters are 2-1 on the year, picking up the first win of the year with a 63-58 victory over Southern Utah last week before falling 72-52 at UNLV.
UCI used a fourth quarter push, outscoring the Thunderbirds 21-14 in the final period to clinch the victory.
UCI's 21 points in the fourth period was the second most points scored in a quarter this season. The Anteaters posted 23 versus St. John's in the first quarter of the year.
Guard Raelyn Cheung-Sutton recorded her first career double-double with 15 points and a career-high 12 assists. She also had a career-tying six rebounds.
Cheung-Sutton's 12 assists were the most for an Anteater since Kristen Green fired 14 against Portland State on Dec. 16 2003 and are the most by a Big West player this year.
Irene Chavez got the start against Southern Utah and recorded 14 points, hitting two threes.
Mokun Fajemisin took over in the fourth quarter recording eight of her nine points. She had a game-high 10 rebounds.
Against UNLV, Fajemsin recorded her first double-double of the season with a season-high 16 points and 11 rebounds. The junior also swatted three blocks.
Chavez drained three three-pointers and ended the game with 13 points.
In the first three games, UCI has had a balanced attack with nine different Anteaters scoring at least two points and 10 players grabbing at least one rebound in each outing.
The Anteaters lead the league in offensive rebounds (15.67) and are second in three-point field goal percentage (.238), third in blocked shots (4.00) and fourth in assists (13.67) and turnover margin (-0.33).
Cheung-Sutton leads the Big West in assists per game at 8.67 and is third in assist/turnover ratio (2.36), while
Fajemisin ranks second in rebounding (9.7) and third in blocks (1.67). Chavez is 10th in scoring (11.3) and is fourth in three-pointers made (2.00).
