Saturday, December 16
Irvine, CA
2:00 PM PT
UC Irvine
vs
Portland State
Women's Hoops Set for Saturday Clash with Portland State
December 13, 2017 | Women's Basketball
Portland State (4-5) at
UC Irvine (5-5)
Date: Saturday, Dec. 16
Time: 2 p.m. (PST)
Location: Bren Events Center (5,000) - Irvine, Calif.
Watch // Listen // Live Stats // Tickets
UC Irvine Game Notes
The UC Irvine women's basketball team returns home this weekend as it hosts Portland State on Saturday, Dec. 16. The 'Eaters and Vikings are set to tip-off at 2 p.m. at the Bren Events Center.
TIP-INS
• UC Irvine is on a three-game win streak for the first time since March, 2014.
• The 'Eaters have already matched their win total from last year, and surpassed their win total from 2015-16.
• Deijah Blanks has scored the final points in all three of the Anteaters' late comeback victories.
• In the season opener, Blanks made a buzzer-beating half-court shot to give UCI an 87-84 triumph vs. Utah State.
• UC Irvine has held the advantage in bench points in eight games with the non-starters combining for 25+ points seven times.
• Yazzy Sa'Dullah had the Anteaters' first 20-point effort of the season against Big 10 member Illinois on Nov. 24.
• Lauren Saiki leads the 'Eaters and is third in the Big West with 44 assists (4.4/game).
• UCI ranks first in the Big West in turnover margin, and is among the top-three in blocks, steals and FT percentage.
• UC Irvine has a new look this year with 10 newcomers (five true freshmen and five returning redshirts).
BALANCED ATTACK
• Nine of UC Irvine's 13 active players are averaging at least 12 minutes per contest.
• All nine of those players have also registered between 5.0 and 9.0 points per outing.
• The 'Eaters have had eight different scoring leaders through their first 10 games.
WITH A WIN...
• UC Irvine would secure its first four-game win streak since 2013 (Feb. 9-21).
• The Anteaters would also be above .500 for the first time since the end of the 2013-14 campaign.
• UCI would improve to 4-1 at the Bren Events Center, continuing its best start at home in four years.
• The 'Eaters would snap a two-game skid in their all-time series with Portland State.
SCOUTING THE VIKINGS
Portland State (4-5) was last in action on Saturday, Dec. 9, when it defeated Northwest University, 63-60. Junior Sidney Rielly leads the Vikings with 19.1 points per game, while classmate Kiana Brown has made a team-best 21 3-pointers and is averaging 13.1 points per outing. Junior Ashley Bolston, who was the 2016-17 Big Sky Top Newcomer, also made her season debut last weekend, finishing with a game-high 17 points.
SERIES RECORD VS. PSU
The 'Eaters trail in their all-time series with Portland State, 8-3, but are 3-2 against the Vikings when playing at home. Their eight losses have also been by 10 points or less. PSU earned its second-straight victory in the series with a 79-73 triumph in Oregon last year. The Anteaters' most recent win came at the Bren Events Center on Dec. 4, 2010.
DEFEND THE BREN
The 'Eaters are 3-1 at the Bren Events Center with wins over Utah State, Portland and Pepperdine. It is their best start at home since the 2013-14 squad was 4-0.
LAST TIME OUT
UC Irvine erased a nine-point deficit in the fourth quarter to defeat San Diego State, 67-65, in front of 4,148 fans at Viejas Arena last Friday. Deijah Blanks once again came through down the stretch as she hit the game-tying shot with 10 seconds remaining. Blanks was fouled on the play and missed the free throw, but Yazzy Sa'Dullah was there for the rebound. Sa'Dullah ended up at the charity stripe where she made the first free throw to give the 'Eaters the lead. She couldn't convert on the second, but Jordan Sanders corralled the crucial offensive board. The Aztecs then fouled Blanks with 0.2 ticks on the clock and she went 1-for-2 at the line to seal the win. The Anteaters forced SDSU into 21 turnovers while committing only 13 of their own. They also finished with a season-high 14 steals and eight blocks, and won the battle in points in the paint (36-20), points off TOs (29-16), second-chance points (15-9) and bench points (37-18).
Sabrina Engelstad (3-3 FG, 4-4 FT) and Brooke Bayman (3-4 FG, 4-4 FT) led the way as they both registered a season-best 10 points. Engelstad also had three blocks and two steals, while Bayman tied for the team lead with four assists.
THE CLOSER
Junior Deijah Blanks has been the Anteaters' go-to player in clutch situations. It started in the season opener when she banked in a half-court shot at the final buzzer to give UCI an 87-84 triumph over Utah State. Blanks also made the game-winning free throw with two seconds remaining to secure a 75-74 triumph against Pepperdine. Most recently, the San Diego native hit a game-tying jumper in the final 10 seconds before sealing the 67-65 victory at SDSU at the charity stripe with 0.2 ticks on the clock.
JORDAN EFFECT
The 'Eaters are 4-0 when freshman Jordan Sanders scores at least 10 points. In the team's five wins, she is averaging 11.2 points, 6.6 rebounds and 1.4 blocks, while shooting 43.6 percent from the field.
CHART CLIMBER
Junior Andee Ritter has made a team-best 18 3-pointers over the first 10 games. She has already moved up four spots on UCI's all-time charts, most recently passing Megan Stafford for fifth with 119 career triples. Ritter is 19 away from cracking the top-three and is ultimately chasing Kathy Lizarraga (1988-92), who owns the school record at 198. Ritter already broke Lizarraga's 28-year old single-season program record with 87 3-pointers last year, and tied the Anteaters' single-game high with a career-best seven treys at UC Riverside on Jan. 7, 2017.
OFF THE BENCH
UCI's bench has netted 25+ points in seven of its 10 contests, and has outscored its opponents by an average of 8.0 ppg. Freshman Haleigh Talbert leads the non-starters with 6.1 points per outing.
THREE'S COMPANY
UC Irvine is averaging nearly seven 3-pointers per game, and connected for a season-high 10 in a win over Portland. Seven 'Eaters have made at least four threes, led by Andee Ritter's 18. Redshirt freshman Autumn Baumgartner also ranks second with 11 triples, as she has knocked down at least one from beyond the arc in six of the last seven outings.
BOARDS & BLOCKS
The Anteaters, who led their opponents in rebounding only six times in 2016-17, have already won the battle on the boards on three occasions this year. They opened the campaign with a dominant performance against Utah State, outrebounding the Aggies, 45-35, and holding a lopsided 19-7 advantage on the offensive glass. UC Irvine also had the edge vs. Big 10 member Illinois (43-41) and at Southern Utah (43-38). In addition, UCI has been one of the top shot blocking teams in the Big West as it ranks third in the conference with 4.3 bpg. The 'Eaters set a season high in each of the last two games with seven blocks at Southern Utah and eight at San Diego State.
LET'S GET IT STARTED
UC Irvine didn't disappoint in its season opener at the Bren Events Center on Nov. 10. The Anteaters erased a 13-point deficit in the final minutes, and Deijah Blanks capped the rally with a half-court shot that banked in at the buzzer for the 87-84 victory over Utah State. Blanks' game-winning play, which started with a steal from Yazzy Sa'Dullah, was featured at No. 1 on SportsCenter's Top 10. It was UCI's first season-opening victory since the 2013-14 campaign when it topped South Dakota at home, 68-64. That was also the last year the 'Eaters had a winning record at 17-15.
YOUNG GUNS
UC Irvine's starting lineup, which has stayed the same over the first 10 games, features two true freshmen, two redshirt sophomores and one junior. Overall, the Anteaters have nine underclassmen, and only two seniors, both of who are in their second year at UCI.
NEW LOOK
Ten players are donning the Blue & Gold for the first time this season as second-year head coach Tamara Inoue and her staff have brought in five true freshmen and five Division I transfers who redshirted the 2016-17 campaign due to NCAA rules. UC Irvine returns only four letterwinners and two starters.
ON THE ROAD AGAIN
After playing three of its first four games in the friendly confines of the Bren Events Center, UC Irvine will hit the road for seven of its final 10 non-conference contests (including neutral-site). In December, the 'Eaters have only two home games, hosting Portland State (Dec. 16) and Chapman (Dec. 19). They will also travel to Southern Utah, San Diego State, Seattle and Bakersfield.
MITTY CONNECTION
Freshmen Tahlia Garza and Dani Guglielmo were teammates for four years at Archbishop Mitty High School. Assistant coach Cecilia Russell-Nava is also a Monarch alum, playing at Mitty from 1999-2003.
UP NEXT
UC Irvine is back at the Bren on Tuesday, Dec. 19, when it squares off against NCAA Division III affiliate Chapman at 7 p.m.
UC Irvine (5-5)
Date: Saturday, Dec. 16
Time: 2 p.m. (PST)
Location: Bren Events Center (5,000) - Irvine, Calif.
Watch // Listen // Live Stats // Tickets
UC Irvine Game Notes
The UC Irvine women's basketball team returns home this weekend as it hosts Portland State on Saturday, Dec. 16. The 'Eaters and Vikings are set to tip-off at 2 p.m. at the Bren Events Center.
TIP-INS
• UC Irvine is on a three-game win streak for the first time since March, 2014.
• The 'Eaters have already matched their win total from last year, and surpassed their win total from 2015-16.
• Deijah Blanks has scored the final points in all three of the Anteaters' late comeback victories.
• In the season opener, Blanks made a buzzer-beating half-court shot to give UCI an 87-84 triumph vs. Utah State.
• UC Irvine has held the advantage in bench points in eight games with the non-starters combining for 25+ points seven times.
• Yazzy Sa'Dullah had the Anteaters' first 20-point effort of the season against Big 10 member Illinois on Nov. 24.
• Lauren Saiki leads the 'Eaters and is third in the Big West with 44 assists (4.4/game).
• UCI ranks first in the Big West in turnover margin, and is among the top-three in blocks, steals and FT percentage.
• UC Irvine has a new look this year with 10 newcomers (five true freshmen and five returning redshirts).
BALANCED ATTACK
• Nine of UC Irvine's 13 active players are averaging at least 12 minutes per contest.
• All nine of those players have also registered between 5.0 and 9.0 points per outing.
• The 'Eaters have had eight different scoring leaders through their first 10 games.
WITH A WIN...
• UC Irvine would secure its first four-game win streak since 2013 (Feb. 9-21).
• The Anteaters would also be above .500 for the first time since the end of the 2013-14 campaign.
• UCI would improve to 4-1 at the Bren Events Center, continuing its best start at home in four years.
• The 'Eaters would snap a two-game skid in their all-time series with Portland State.
SCOUTING THE VIKINGS
Portland State (4-5) was last in action on Saturday, Dec. 9, when it defeated Northwest University, 63-60. Junior Sidney Rielly leads the Vikings with 19.1 points per game, while classmate Kiana Brown has made a team-best 21 3-pointers and is averaging 13.1 points per outing. Junior Ashley Bolston, who was the 2016-17 Big Sky Top Newcomer, also made her season debut last weekend, finishing with a game-high 17 points.
SERIES RECORD VS. PSU
The 'Eaters trail in their all-time series with Portland State, 8-3, but are 3-2 against the Vikings when playing at home. Their eight losses have also been by 10 points or less. PSU earned its second-straight victory in the series with a 79-73 triumph in Oregon last year. The Anteaters' most recent win came at the Bren Events Center on Dec. 4, 2010.
DEFEND THE BREN
The 'Eaters are 3-1 at the Bren Events Center with wins over Utah State, Portland and Pepperdine. It is their best start at home since the 2013-14 squad was 4-0.
LAST TIME OUT
UC Irvine erased a nine-point deficit in the fourth quarter to defeat San Diego State, 67-65, in front of 4,148 fans at Viejas Arena last Friday. Deijah Blanks once again came through down the stretch as she hit the game-tying shot with 10 seconds remaining. Blanks was fouled on the play and missed the free throw, but Yazzy Sa'Dullah was there for the rebound. Sa'Dullah ended up at the charity stripe where she made the first free throw to give the 'Eaters the lead. She couldn't convert on the second, but Jordan Sanders corralled the crucial offensive board. The Aztecs then fouled Blanks with 0.2 ticks on the clock and she went 1-for-2 at the line to seal the win. The Anteaters forced SDSU into 21 turnovers while committing only 13 of their own. They also finished with a season-high 14 steals and eight blocks, and won the battle in points in the paint (36-20), points off TOs (29-16), second-chance points (15-9) and bench points (37-18).
Sabrina Engelstad (3-3 FG, 4-4 FT) and Brooke Bayman (3-4 FG, 4-4 FT) led the way as they both registered a season-best 10 points. Engelstad also had three blocks and two steals, while Bayman tied for the team lead with four assists.
THE CLOSER
Junior Deijah Blanks has been the Anteaters' go-to player in clutch situations. It started in the season opener when she banked in a half-court shot at the final buzzer to give UCI an 87-84 triumph over Utah State. Blanks also made the game-winning free throw with two seconds remaining to secure a 75-74 triumph against Pepperdine. Most recently, the San Diego native hit a game-tying jumper in the final 10 seconds before sealing the 67-65 victory at SDSU at the charity stripe with 0.2 ticks on the clock.
JORDAN EFFECT
The 'Eaters are 4-0 when freshman Jordan Sanders scores at least 10 points. In the team's five wins, she is averaging 11.2 points, 6.6 rebounds and 1.4 blocks, while shooting 43.6 percent from the field.
CHART CLIMBER
Junior Andee Ritter has made a team-best 18 3-pointers over the first 10 games. She has already moved up four spots on UCI's all-time charts, most recently passing Megan Stafford for fifth with 119 career triples. Ritter is 19 away from cracking the top-three and is ultimately chasing Kathy Lizarraga (1988-92), who owns the school record at 198. Ritter already broke Lizarraga's 28-year old single-season program record with 87 3-pointers last year, and tied the Anteaters' single-game high with a career-best seven treys at UC Riverside on Jan. 7, 2017.
OFF THE BENCH
UCI's bench has netted 25+ points in seven of its 10 contests, and has outscored its opponents by an average of 8.0 ppg. Freshman Haleigh Talbert leads the non-starters with 6.1 points per outing.
THREE'S COMPANY
UC Irvine is averaging nearly seven 3-pointers per game, and connected for a season-high 10 in a win over Portland. Seven 'Eaters have made at least four threes, led by Andee Ritter's 18. Redshirt freshman Autumn Baumgartner also ranks second with 11 triples, as she has knocked down at least one from beyond the arc in six of the last seven outings.
BOARDS & BLOCKS
The Anteaters, who led their opponents in rebounding only six times in 2016-17, have already won the battle on the boards on three occasions this year. They opened the campaign with a dominant performance against Utah State, outrebounding the Aggies, 45-35, and holding a lopsided 19-7 advantage on the offensive glass. UC Irvine also had the edge vs. Big 10 member Illinois (43-41) and at Southern Utah (43-38). In addition, UCI has been one of the top shot blocking teams in the Big West as it ranks third in the conference with 4.3 bpg. The 'Eaters set a season high in each of the last two games with seven blocks at Southern Utah and eight at San Diego State.
LET'S GET IT STARTED
UC Irvine didn't disappoint in its season opener at the Bren Events Center on Nov. 10. The Anteaters erased a 13-point deficit in the final minutes, and Deijah Blanks capped the rally with a half-court shot that banked in at the buzzer for the 87-84 victory over Utah State. Blanks' game-winning play, which started with a steal from Yazzy Sa'Dullah, was featured at No. 1 on SportsCenter's Top 10. It was UCI's first season-opening victory since the 2013-14 campaign when it topped South Dakota at home, 68-64. That was also the last year the 'Eaters had a winning record at 17-15.
YOUNG GUNS
UC Irvine's starting lineup, which has stayed the same over the first 10 games, features two true freshmen, two redshirt sophomores and one junior. Overall, the Anteaters have nine underclassmen, and only two seniors, both of who are in their second year at UCI.
NEW LOOK
Ten players are donning the Blue & Gold for the first time this season as second-year head coach Tamara Inoue and her staff have brought in five true freshmen and five Division I transfers who redshirted the 2016-17 campaign due to NCAA rules. UC Irvine returns only four letterwinners and two starters.
ON THE ROAD AGAIN
After playing three of its first four games in the friendly confines of the Bren Events Center, UC Irvine will hit the road for seven of its final 10 non-conference contests (including neutral-site). In December, the 'Eaters have only two home games, hosting Portland State (Dec. 16) and Chapman (Dec. 19). They will also travel to Southern Utah, San Diego State, Seattle and Bakersfield.
MITTY CONNECTION
Freshmen Tahlia Garza and Dani Guglielmo were teammates for four years at Archbishop Mitty High School. Assistant coach Cecilia Russell-Nava is also a Monarch alum, playing at Mitty from 1999-2003.
UP NEXT
UC Irvine is back at the Bren on Tuesday, Dec. 19, when it squares off against NCAA Division III affiliate Chapman at 7 p.m.
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