Bakersfield (3-7) at
UC Irvine (1-9)
Date: Saturday, Dec. 17
Time: 2 p.m. (PST)
Location: Bren Events Center (5,000) - Irvine, Calif.
Watch | Listen | Live Stats
Southern Utah (3-5) at
UC Irvine (1-9)
Date: Monday, Dec. 19
Time: 7 p.m. (PST)
Location: Bren Events Center (5,000) - Irvine, Calif.
Watch | Listen | Live Stats
UC Irvine Game Notes
The UC Irvine women's basketball team will play three home games in five days starting with a 2 p.m. showdown against Bakersfield on Saturday, Dec. 17. The 'Eaters then return to the hardwood to host Southern Utah in a 7 p.m. tilt on Monday, Dec. 19.
TIP-INS
• UCI earned its first win of the season and of first-year head coach Tamara Inoue's career at Nevada on Dec. 1.
• Senior Shereen Sutherland leads the 'Eaters with 11.5 points and 7.4 rebounds per outing.
• She notched her second career double-double with 20 points and 12 boards at Portland State (Dec. 3).
• Junior Sabrina Engelstad is averaging 10.0 ppg as she recently saw a seven-game double-digit scoring streak snapped.
• Sophomore Andee Ritter has made a 3-pointer in every game and leads the Anteaters with 23 on the year.
• She is also tops in the Big West with 26 steals and is averaging 4.5 takeaways over the last four games.
• Ritter set career highs in points (23), threes made (6) and steals (8) at Nevada.
• Senior Irene Chavez (30) and Brooke Bayman (26) have accounted for half of the team's 111 assists.
FOLLOW THE 'EATERS: Fans can listen to every UC Irvine women's basketball home game, along with select road games, on KUCI 88.9 FM or KUCI.org. Darren Preston is the Anteaters' play-by-play announcer. All home games will also be streamed live on BigWest.tv.
CHALK TALK: Fans are invited to join the UCI coaching staff for a chalk talk before every home game. The chalk talk will begin 30 minutes prior to tip-off at the Stewart Room in the Bren Events Center.
YOUTH CLINIC: The Anteaters will also host a youth clinic at the Bren prior to Saturday's game. Check-in will begin at 11 a.m. in the East Lobby. Everyone is invited to stay for the game and attend a postgame autograph session with the team.
ON THIS DATE: On Dec. 17, 2002, Christina Callaway had 20 points and 19 rebounds to lead UC Irvine to a 61-47 win over Birmingham-Southern. The 'Eaters improved to 5-1 on the season, marking their best start since the 1984-85 campaign.
On Dec. 19, 2009, UCI set a school record with 45 free throws made on 55 attempts in an 87-73 victory over Eastern Washington. Mikah Maly-Karros led the way as she established an individual single-game program record in free throws made (16) and attempted (23) en route to a then career-high 28 points.
A GLANCE AT BAKERSFIELD: Cal State Bakersfield dropped to 3-7 on the season following a 71-66 loss to UC Riverside on Wednesday. Junior guard Aja Williams leads the Roadrunners with 12.3 points per game. Senior center Brittany Sims is also averaging 10.7 points and a team-best 7.3 rebounds per outing.
SERIES RECORD VS. CSUB: UC Irvine trails in its all-time series with Bakersfield, 10-2. The Roadrunners won the most recent meeting, 65-39, in Bakersfield on Jan. 3, 2016. The Anteaters' last victory in the series came in 2012 when they topped CSUB on the road, 66-52.
SCOUTING THE THUNDERBIRDS: Southern Utah (3-5) has lost five in a row, including a 77-38 defeat at No. 24 Oregon State on Saturday, Dec. 10. The Thunderbirds will host Grand Canyon before making their way to Irvine. Senior guard Jamie Smith is the team's leading scorer at 10.6 points per game. Sophomore forward Darri Frandsen is also averaging 9.9 points and 7.5 rebounds per outing, while freshman guard Rebecca Cardenas is tops on the squad with 4.0 assists per contest.
SERIES RECORD VS. SUU: UC Irvine leads in its short all-time series with Southern Utah, 2-0. The 'Eaters defeated the Thunderbirds, 63-58, in Cedar City, Utah, last season (Nov. 19, 2015). It was the first meeting between the two teams in 26 years.
OH, WHAT A NIGHT: In their first win of the season at Nevada on Dec. 1, the 'Eaters established season highs in points (72), FGs made (29), FG pct. (45.3), 3FG made (7), assists (17) and steals (17). They also committed a season-low six turnovers, while their 24 fourth-quarter points were tied for the third most in school history.
STEALING THE SHOW: Sophomore Andee Ritter was the star of that game as she had a career night against the Wolf Pack with personal bests in points (23), 3-point field goals made (6) and steals (8). Her six treys and eight takeaways were each one shy of the single-game program record. On the season, Ritter is tops in the Big West with 26 steals and second with 23 threes.
KEEPING THE RHYTHM: Two days after their win at Nevada, the Anteaters kept the offensive rhythm going as they set new season highs in points (73), FGs made (30), FGs attempted (73) and assists (18) at Portland State. UCI had two 20-point quarters in that game, with a program-record 29 coming in the fourth frame. It was the first time this season, and fourth time overall since women's basketball switched to the four-period format, that the 'Eaters reached 20 points in multiple quarters.
IN THE 70'S: UCI recently had three consecutive 70-point games for the first time since the 2013-14 campaign. The 'Eaters registered 72 points at Nevada (Dec. 1), 73 at Portland State (Dec. 3) and 70 vs. Sacramento State (Dec. 10). They are one 70-point game away from matching their total of four from last year.
TWICE AS NICE: Andee Ritter became the first 'Eater to reach the 20-point mark this season when she recorded a career-high 23 at Nevada on Dec. 1. Shereen Sutherland then followed with a 20-point/12-rebound performance at Portland State (Dec. 3). It was the first time since March, 2014 that UC Irvine had a player score 20 or more points in back-to-back games. Sutherland also recorded UCI's first double-double with at least 20 points since Camille Buckley (34 pts/17 rebs) accomplished the feat against UC Davis on March 12, 2014.
SENIOR LEADER: Shereen Sutherland leads UC Irvine with 11.5 points and 7.4 rebounds per contest. She has reached double digits in scoring five times, while adding two games with 10-plus rebounds. The 6-foot-2 senior forward notched her first double-double of the season and second of her career with a 20-point/12-rebound effort at Portland State on Dec. 3. She has pulled down at least eight boards in seven of the team's 10 games, including a career-high 15 at Utah State.
FAMILY TRADITION: Junior Sabrina Engelstad is the daughter of former UC Irvine great, Wayne Engelstad, who played for the Anteaters from 1984-88. Wayne ranks among the top-10 in school history with 1,530 points and 698 rebounds. Sabrina is now following in her father's footsteps as the 6-foot-4 forward ranks second on the squad with 10.0 points per outing. She had seven-straight double-figure scoring games from Nov. 17-Dec. 10, beginning the streak with a then season-high 13 points at Utah State. Sabrina went on to record UCI's first double-double of the year with 11 points and a career-best 14 rebounds at Loyola Marymount. She later poured in 16 points at Portland State and a current season best of 18 vs. Sacramento State.
WE CAN DISH IT: Senior Irene Chavez and freshman Brooke Bayman have dished out half of the Anteaters' 111 assists. Chavez has a team-best 30 and finished with a career-high nine helpers at Nevada. Bayman isn't far behind with 26 assists as she has recorded a season-best four on two occasions.
UP NEXT: UC Irvine welcomes Pac-12 member USC to the Bren Events Center for a 2 p.m. showdown on Wednesday, Dec. 21. The 'Eaters will then take a break for the holidays as they return to action on Thursday, Dec. 29, against Concordia.
