IRVINE, Calif. – The UC Irvine women's basketball team picked up its first Big West victory in dominating fashion as it never trailed in a 77-52 win over CSUN Wednesday evening at the Bren Events Center.

The 'Eaters ended the night shooting a season-best 50 percent from the floor (29-58), 61.5 percent from behind the arc (8-13) and 91.7 percent (11-12) from the free throw line. They were also solid on the defensive end with 10 steals, while holding the Matadors to a 35.1 field goal percentage. In addition, UCI outrebounded CSUN, 37-to-31.

"We started off really well so the biggest challenge was sustaining it for the next 20 minutes," head coach Tamara Inoue said. "I thought our kids did a great job tonight."

Sophomore Andee Ritter and senior Shereen Sutherland led the charge as they combined for 49 points. Ritter recorded her second consecutive 20-point game, and third in the last four outings, with a career-high 25 on an 8-for-10 shooting performance. She was also 5-of-6 from long distance, while adding six rebounds and three steals. Ritter moved up to No. 7 among the program's single-season leaders with 49 3-pointers. She needs just 16 more to break the 28-year old record.

Sutherland also had a career-best 24 points, to go along with seven rebounds, four of which came on the offensive end. She was a perfect 6-of-6 from the charity stripe.

"Shereen came ready to play today," Inoue said. "She faced up and got aggressive – she didn't settle."

Juniors Sabrina Engelstad and Teirra Hicks chipped in 10 points each. Freshman Brooke Bayman had another impressive all-around game with five points, six rebounds and a career-high nine assists.

UC Irvine (3-14, 1-2 Big West) came out gunning as it broke an early 2-2 tie with a huge 18-0 run, capped by a putback from Hicks, to pull ahead, 20-2, at the 2:44 mark. CSUN then ended a six-plus minute scoring drought, but the 'Eaters answered and went up 24-6 at the end of the first quarter. UCI shot a blistering 68.8 percent (11-of-16) in the opening 10 minutes.

The Anteaters kept the momentum in the second frame as Ritter scored six quick points with three free throws followed by a 3-pointer to give the home team a commanding 35-9 lead with 6:51 left in the half. The Matadors bounced back with an 8-2 spurt but that was the closest they would get as UC Irvine went on top 44-20 at intermission.

CSUN (8-9, 1-2 Big West) looked like it was going to make a comeback in the third quarter, scoring the first eight points, before Inoue called a timeout to rally her troops. Her team  responded as a Sutherland layup and a triple from Hicks pushed UCI's lead back to 21. The 'Eaters stayed out front and a deep three from Ritter at the end of the period made it 58-33.

The Anteaters led by at least 20 for the entire fourth quarter. They took their largest advantage of the night at the 6:58 mark when they went up 65-37 on another trey from Ritter. UC Irvine cruised the rest of the way with a Mckenzie Piper 3-pointer accounting for the final 77-52 margin.

Lauren Shymkewicz led CSUN with 12 points, while Channon Fluker added 10 points and 12 rebounds.

UC Irvine returns to the hardwood on Saturday, Jan. 14, when it makes the short trip to Cal State Fullerton for a 6 p.m. Big West tilt.

NOTES: For the second game in a row, UC Irvine held its opponent to six points in the first quarter and led by double figures at the end of the opening period … After 15 games without a halftime lead, the 'Eaters have now been on top at the break in each of the last two contests … Andee Ritter is the first Anteater to post back-to-back 20-point games since Camille Buckley in 2014 … In the last two outings, Ritter is averaging 24.0 points and 6.0 threes made, while shooting 64 percent from the field and 60 percent from beyond the arc … She remained perfect at the foul line this season where she is 15-for-15 ... Shereen Sutherland notched her second 20-point game of the season and third of her career … UC Irvine had two players reach 20 points in a game for the first time since Feb. 28, 2015 … The 'Eaters snapped a 12-game losing streak in Big West regular-season play as this was their first conference win since a 62-58 triumph at Cal State Fullerton on Jan. 23, 2016 … The Anteaters also ended a five-game skid in their all-time series with CSUN … It was their largest margin of victory against the Matadors.