IRVINE, Calif. – Freshman Dani Guglielmo and junior Andee Ritter combined for nine 3-pointers and 29 points to lead the UC Irvine women's basketball team to a 63-52 win over the University of Portland Friday evening at the Bren Events Center.
 
UCI moved to 2-1 overall, while it handed the Pilots (3-1) their first loss of the young season.
 
Guglielmo hit a 3-pointer for her first career points as an Anteater at the 5:41 mark of the second quarter. She proceeded to knock down three more triples over the next few minutes to end the half with 12 points on 4-of-4 shooting from beyond the arc. Overall, Guglielmo finished with a game-high 15 points (5-9 3FG).
 
Ritter added a season-best 14 points on five field goals, including four from downtown. She also registered five rebounds and four steals.
 
Freshman Jordan Sanders had another impressive outing with 12 points, eight boards and two steals, while classmate Haleigh Talbert chipped in nine points, four rebounds and three assists.
 
As a team, the 'Eaters shot 41.5 percent (22-53) from the floor and 43.5 percent (10-23) from 3-point range. In addition, they won the battle in assists (16-to-8), steals (12-to-6) and blocks (6-to-2).
 
"I thought we did a good job of sticking with it and playing together," head coach Tamara Inoue said. "Our second quarter was really nice with Dani coming off the bench and hitting some threes. That gave us a momentum swing that we stayed on for the rest of the game. We dipped a little bit in the third and fourth quarters, which I wasn't happy with, but we're so young, we have to remember it's a process."
 
UC Irvine struck first, but Portland would go up, 6-4, at the 5:19 mark. The Anteaters responded with a 5-0 run, capped by a pair of free throws from Talbert, to pull ahead, 9-6. UCI stayed out front and took its largest lead of the first quarter at 12-8 following a Ritter 3-pointer with 2:05 remaining. The Pilots were able to answer in the final minutes, however, as they scored five-straight points for a 13-12 edge.
 
Portland continued to roll in the second period, extending its lead to 19-12, before the 'Eaters got hot from long distance to spark an 18-6 rally that ended with back-to-back triples from Guglielmo and Ritter. Guglielmo drained four of her treys and came up with a block on the defensive end during that stretch. The Pilots would counter with a 3-pointer of their own, but Ritter's layup gave UC Irvine a 35-28 cushion at the break.
 
The visitors closed the gap to 38-36 at the 7:52 mark of the third frame, and that was the closest they would get as UCI took control over the next four-plus minutes with an 8-2 spurt, capped by a traditional three-point play from Talbert. Guglielmo eventually added her fifth 3-pointer of the night to give the 'Eaters a 49-40 advantage at the end of the quarter.
 
It was all UC Irvine in the fourth where it opened with a 9-2 run for a commanding 58-42 lead. Portland answered with a 6-0 rally, but Ritter put a stop to the comeback bid with a corner three as the Anteaters finished off the 63-52 victory.
 
UCI held Portland to 34.5 percent shooting. Rachelle Owens paced the Pilots with 12 points, four rebounds and four assists.
 
UC Irvine is back in action on Sunday, Nov. 19, when it welcomes Idaho State (3-0) to the Bren Events Center for a 2 p.m. showdown.
 
NOTES: Portland entered tonight's game with a 73.0 scoring average and a 46.5 field goal percentage … The 'Eaters held the Pilots well below both of those numbers as the visitors finished with 52 points and shot just 34.5 percent … UCI nearly kept UP under 50 if it weren't for a Pilot 3-pointer with 22 seconds remaining in the game … The Anteaters have started the year with a 2-0 home record for the first time since 2013-14 ... Dani Guglielmo scored 12 of her 15 points in a 3:33 span late in the second quarter … They were her first career points as she previously played only five minutes at UNLV … Dating back to last season, Andee Ritter has made a three in 13 consecutive games, which is a career long streak for the junior … Jordan Sanders reached double digits in scoring for the second time in three games, while adding a season-best eight rebounds.