SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – The UC Irvine women's basketball team cut a 19-point deficit down to five midway through the fourth quarter but ran out of gas as UC Santa Barbara was able to pull away with the 71-53 victory Thursday evening at The Thunderdome.
Senior Irene Chavez and sophomore Andee Ritter led the 'Eaters with 16 points each. Chavez was 5-for-9 from 3-point range, marking her third-straight outing with at least four threes. Ritter also made two treys and was a perfect 4-of-4 from the free throw line, while grabbing a team-best six rebounds. Senior Mckenzie Piper chipped in eight points, and classmate Brittany Glassow had seven.
UCI (4-25, 2-13 Big West) struggled from the floor, shooting just 28.8 percent. The Anteaters forced 19 turnovers but were outrebounded, 47-27.
UC Irvine struck first as Ritter drained a 3-pointer to beat the shot clock. UC Santa Barbara then took its first lead at 4-3 with back-to-back buckets from Drew Edelman. The 'Eaters responded with a triple from Piper and eventually pulled ahead, 15-12, following a traditional three-point play from the senior forward at the 2:02 mark. It remained close as the score was knotted at 17-all at the end of the first quarter.
UCI started the second period on a five-minute scoring drought and the Gauchos took advantage as they went on a 15-0 run for a 32-17 cushion. Chavez then got the Anteaters on the board with a 3-pointer at the 4:49 mark. The visitors closed the gap to 10 on Chavez's second three of the game, before UCSB increased its margin to 35-23 at intermission. The two teams combined for only five field goals in the frame, but the home team was able to gain the edge by getting to the free throw line where it was 10-of-12.
UC Irvine fell behind by 19 in the third before using a 10-4 spurt to close the gap to 51-39 with 51 seconds on the clock. UC Santa Barbara then got a bucket before Chavez knocked down a 3-pointer to make it 53-42.
The 'Eaters continued to chip away in the fourth quarter as a 9-3 run, capped by a pair of Ritter free throws, cut the deficit to 56-51 with 5:11 remaining. That was the closest they would get, however, as the Gauchos answered with a bucket on the other end and closed out the game with a 15-2 rally for the 71-53 win.
UCSB (13-15, 8-7 Big West) shot 45.1 percent from the floor and was 17-of-21 from the free throw line. Edelman led the Gauchos with 21 points (9-12 FG) and 14 rebounds.
UC Irvine closes out the regular season on Saturday, March 4, when it welcomes Cal State Fullerton to the Bren Events Center for a 6 p.m. showdown. The winner will clinch a spot in the Big West Tournament.
The 'Eaters will also honor their five seniors – Irene Chavez, Brittany Glassow, Chloe Kellum, Mckenzie Piper and Shereen Sutherland – prior to the game.
NOTES: Irene Chavez now has 104 career 3-pointers made and took over sole possession of eighth place in the UCI record books … Over the last three games she has 15 threes while shooting 57.7 percent from long distance … Chavez also notched her fifth-straight double-figure scoring game … Andee Ritter increased her single-season school record total to 81 3-pointers this year … With one regular-season game remaining, she has shattered the previous best of 64 set in 1988-89.
