Sacramento State (3-5) at
UC Irvine (1-7)
Date: Saturday, Dec. 10
Time: 2 p.m. (PST)
Location: Bren Events Center (5,000) - Irvine, Calif.
Watch | Listen on KUCI | Live Stats

UNLV (6-1) at
UC Irvine (1-7)
Date: Monday, Dec. 12
Time: 5 p.m. (PST)
Location: Bren Events Center (5,000) - Irvine, Calif.
Watch | Listen on KUCI | Live Stats

UC Irvine Game Notes | Video Preview

The UC Irvine women's basketball team begins a seven-game homestand this weekend when it welcomes Sacramento State to the Bren Events Center for a 2 p.m. showdown on Saturday, Dec. 10. The 'Eaters will then entertain UNLV at 5 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 12.

TIP-INS
• Saturday's contest will mark UC Irvine's first home game since the season opener on Nov. 11.
• 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 averaged 19.0 points and 10.5 boards in two games last week.
• She notched her second career double-double with 20 points and 12 rebounds at Portland State.
• Sophomore Andee Ritter set career highs in points (23), threes made (6) and steals (8) at Nevada.
• Ritter has made a 3-pointer in every game and leads the Anteaters with 19 on the year.
• Senior Irene Chavez netted a season-best 16 points and dished out a career-high nine assists vs. the Wolf Pack.
• Junior Sabrina Engelstad had a season-high 16 points for her sixth-straight double-digit scoring game at Portland State.
• Chavez (21) and freshman Brooke Bayman (20) have accounted for nearly half of the team's 86 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.

LAST TIME OUT: UC Irvine rallied to cut a 10-point deficit down to two in the final minutes but the Anteaters' comeback effort fell just short in a 79-73 loss at Portland State last Saturday. The Vikings were up 75-65 with 1:45 left in the game before Irene Chavez and Andee Ritter hit back-to-back threes. After another stop on the defensive end, Shereen Sutherland got the bucket to make it 75-73 with 28 seconds on the clock. Sutherland was fouled on the play but missed the free throw and PSU was able to hold on for the victory. Sutherland led the 'Eaters with 20 points and 12 rebounds, while Sabrina Engelstad added a season-best 16 points.

SCOUTING THE HORNETS: Sacramento State (3-5) split its two games last week, topping Stanislaus State, 102-72, before falling to USC, 111-95. The Hornets, who will play at No. 24 Cal on Thursday, have put up 91.6 points per outing, but have also allowed 94.4 ppg with their run-and-gun style of play. Four players are averaging double figures, led by junior guard Maranne Johnson's 16.8 points per contest. Senior forward Margaret Huntington has contributed a team-best 10.4 rebounds per game.

SERIES RECORD VS. SAC STATE: UC Irvine and Sacramento State are tied in their all-time series, 5-5, but the Hornets have won the last two. In the most recent meeting, Sac State ran away with a 126-78 home victory on Dec. 22, 2015.

SCOUTING THE LADY REBELS: UNLV (6-1) suffered its first loss of the year at the Maui Wahine Classic last weekend as it dropped a 63-54 decision to BYU, but the Lady Rebels bounced right back with a 73-61 victory against Idaho. They will play at Pepperdine on Friday, Dec. 9, before making their way to the Bren Events Center. Junior guard Dakota Gonzalez leads the squad with 14.5 points per game, while sophomore forward Paris Strawther is averaging 13.0 points and a team-best 8.0 rebounds per outing.

SERIES RECORD VS. UNLV: UCI trails in its all-time series with former Big West member UNLV, 30-4. The 'Eaters suffered their fifth-straight loss to the Lady Rebels last year, falling 72-52 in Las Vegas on Nov. 21. Their most recent victory came in 1996.

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.

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.

SENIOR LEADER: Senior Shereen Sutherland is close to averaging a double-double on the year as she leads UC Irvine with 11.9 points and 8.9 rebounds per contest. She has reached double digits in scoring four times, while adding two games with 10-plus rebounds. The 6-foot-2 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 eight 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 9.3 points per outing. She has six-straight double-figure scoring games, 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 and later poured in a new season best of 16 points at Portland State.

STEALING THE SHOW: Sophomore Andee Ritter had a career night in UCI's first win of the season at Nevada. She set 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 20 steals and 19 threes.
 
WE CAN DISH IT: Senior Irene Chavez and freshman Brooke Bayman have dished out nearly half of the team's 86 assists. Chavez has a team-best 21 and finished with a career-high nine helpers at Nevada. Bayman isn't far behind with 20 assists as she has recorded a season-best four on two occasions.

ON THE BOARDS: UC Irvine has won the battle on the boards three times this year, pulling down a season-best 45 at Utah State (Nov. 17), 42 at Loyola Marymount (Nov. 25) and 41 at Portland State (Dec. 3). In each of those three games, the Anteaters had one player reach double figures in rebounding. Shereen Sutherland had a career-high 15 against the Aggies and 12 vs. the Vikings, while Sabrina Engelstad recorded a season-best 14 at LMU.

FREQUENT FLYERS: UCI began the 2016-17 campaign at home, but proceeded to play its next seven games on the road. During that stretch, the Anteaters visited five different states, traveling to Gonzaga (Washington), Utah State, Idaho State, Nevada and Portland State (Oregon). The 'Eaters also made the short trip to Los Angeles for their fourth consecutive appearance in the annual LMU Thanksgiving Classic.

DEFEND THE BREN: The Anteaters will be rewarded for their early travels as they close out their non-conference slate with six-straight home games. To preview head coach Tamara Inoue's first season, the UC Irvine Athletics Department is pleased to offer complimentary admission to all women's basketball games for the 2016-17 regular season.

UP NEXT: UC Irvine will return to the hardwood for three home games in five days, starting with a 2 p.m. tilt with Bakersfield on Saturday, Dec. 17. The 'Eaters are also set to face Southern Utah (Dec. 19) and Pac-12 member USC (Dec. 21).