Box Score Irvine, Calif. – UC Irvine guard Raelyn Cheung-Sutton extended her consecutive free throw streak to 25 in an 83-64 losing effort to CSUN at the Bren Events Center.
Cheung-Sutton led the Anteaters with 16 points, going 5-8 from the floor and 5-5 from the line. The conference leader in assists also fired seven in 28 minutes of action.
Guard Irene Chavez had 12 points, while forward Mokun Fajemisin totaled 11 points and six rebounds. Forward Shereen had nine points and Paulina Santana came off the bench to add eight points.
The Matadors dominated the glass, out-rebounding UCI 54-30. CSUN shot 52.4 percent (33-63) for the game and 65.2 percent (15-23) in the second half to pull away. UCI scored 26 points on 28 Matador turnovers.
CSUN's Channon Fluker led all players with 33 points, 13 rebounds and three blocks. Serafina Maulupe recorded 14 points and Tessa Boagni recorded eight points and eight rebounds.
Raelyn Cheung-Sutton made her 22nd consecutive free throw to give UCI a 13-7 lead with 5:48 to go in the first period. Five straight points by CSUN's Tessa Boagni narrowed the lead to 13-12 at 4:49. The Anteaters would not relinquish the lead until Channon Fluker hit two free throws to take their first lead 20-19 at 2:14. The Matadors would score the final three points of the period to lead 25-22.
UCI made the first basket of the second period before CSUN scored the next six to open a 31-24 advantage at 7:36. A three-pointer by Cheung-Sutton and two Mokun Fajemisin free throws cut the deficit to 37-34 with 3:00 to play in the half. CSUN would close the half on a 13-5 run to lead 50-39 at the break.
A jumper by Shereen Sutherland cut the margin to 63-53, before the Matadors would score the next six to extend the lead back to 69-53 at 1:30. Two Cheung-Sutton free throw ended the third period, 69-55.
An Irene Chavez three-pointer pulled UCI within 74-62 with 4:56 to play, but CSUN would score nine of the final 11 points to close out the scoring.
UCI will travel to Hawaii for a Saturday (Jan. 30) contest beginning at 7:30 p.m. Pacific.
