CSU Bakersfield (4-2, 0-0 WAC) at
UC Irvine (5-0, 0-0 Big West)
Date: Thursday, Nov. 29
Time: 7 p.m. (PST)
Location: Bren Events Center (5,000) - Irvine, Calif.
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UC Irvine Game Notes

IRVINE, Calif. - The UC Irvine women's basketball team will be looking to continue its best start in program history this week when it welcomes CSU Bakersfield to the Bren Events Center for a non-conference game on Thursday, Nov. 29. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m.

The 'Eaters will be collecting unwrapped toys on Thursday in support of the UC Irvine Police Department's Holiday Toy Drive. Fans can bring an unwrapped toy that will be distributed to children being treated at UCI Health and other Orange County organizations.
 
STORYLINES
• UC Irvine improved to 5-0 after claiming the GCU Thanksgiving Classic title with wins over LIU Brooklyn and Indiana State.
• It is the first time in program history the Anteaters have started the season with five-straight victories.
• The 'Eaters are the lone Big West club, and one of 36 teams in all of NCAA Division I, to remain undefeated on the year.
• Of those 36 teams, 21 are either ranked or receiving votes in the AP and USA Today Women's Basketball polls.
• As of Nov. 26, UCI ranks 3rd in the nation in turnover margin (12.8), 6th in steals (15.2/gm) and 9th in TOs forced (28.3/gm).
• UC Irvine has forced more than 20 turnovers in every game with a season-high 36 against Life Pacific College on Nov. 7.
• Through five games, the Anteaters have four double-doubles, already surpassing their total of three from last year.
• Senior Andee Ritter, who has made 157 career 3-pointers, needs 42 more to break a 26-year old school record (198).
• Ritter is also one steal away from her 150th career takeaway, which would put her among the top-10 on UCI's all-time charts.
• CSU Bakersfield, which is currently in the WAC, will become an official member of the Big West on July 1, 2020.
 
SANDERS NAMED BIG WEST PLAYER OF THE WEEK
• Sophomore Jordan Sanders received her first career Big West Player of the Week nod on Monday, Nov. 26.
• She led UCI to the GCU Thanksgiving Classic title, averaging 23.0 ppg, 8.0 rpg and 2.5 spg over the two-day tournament.
• The 5-foot-11 forward also shot 70.8 percent from the field and 80.0 percent from the free throw line.
• In the championship game against then unbeaten Indiana State, she had a career-high 25 points (11-16 FG) and 11 rebounds.
• Sanders added four steals in the 77-61 win over the Sycamores.
• One day earlier, in an 84-71 victory against LIU Brooklyn, she netted a team-best 21 points in 18 minutes played.
• She also finished with 13 points, three rebounds and a blocked shot in a home win over Southern Utah.
• On the week, Sanders recorded 19.7 points and 6.3 rebounds per outing, while shooting 61.1% overall and 83.3% on FTs.
 
WITH A WIN...
• The Anteaters would extend their win streak to six games, which would tie for the fourth-longest in program history.
• They would win back-to-back games for the first time in their all-time series with Bakersfield, which started in 2007.

LAST TIME OUT
Behind double-doubles from Jordan Sanders and Lauren Saiki, UC Irvine toppled Indiana State, 77-61, in the GCU Thanksgiving Classic championship game last Saturday. Sanders recorded a career-high 25 points (11-16 FG), while adding 11 rebounds and four steals. Saiki also had her first double-double as an 'Eater, finishing with 10 points and a career-best 13 assists, to go against only one turnover. Sabrina Engelstad added 16 points and nine rebounds, and Andee Ritter chipped in 12 points on four triples. The Anteaters, who totaled 16 steals, forced 23 turnovers and converted 27 points off those miscues. They shot 47.8 percent from the field with 21 assists on 32 made field goals.
 
One day earlier, UCI used a late push to run away with an 84-71 victory over LIU Brooklyn. The 'Eaters held a slim three-point lead after the third quarter, but outscored the Blackbirds, 25-15, over the final 10 minutes. Sanders had a team-best 21 points in 18 minutes played. Alexus Seaton was also a perfect 6-for-6 from the floor and finished with a career-high 15 points. Saiki contributed 12 points, four rebounds, three assists and two steals.
 
A GLANCE AT CSUB
CSU Bakersfield improved to 4-2 with a 91-37 win over NAIA affiliate Westcliff University. The Roadrunners have also defeated Wright State, UC Santa Barbara and Whittier College, while falling to UTEP and San Jose State. Senior guard Alexxus Gilbert leads the team with 15.2 points and 4.5 assists per game. Senior forward Malayasia McHenry is also averaging 12.3 points and 8.2 rebounds per outing.
 
SERIES RECORD
UC Irvine trails in its all-time series with Bakersfield, 11-3, but came out on top in the most recent outing with a 72-59 road win last season (Dec. 31, 2017). All 14 games between the two teams have been played over the last 11 years with the first meeting taking place in 2007.
 
DEFENSIVE PRESENCE
The 'Eaters have been locked in on the defensive end, forcing more than 20 turnovers in each of their first five games. They pressured Life Pacific College into a season-high 36 miscues, thanks to a school-record 25 steals. The Anteaters have also held their opponents to three single-digit quarters with a program-best one point allowed in the third frame against LPC. Both of their records bettered the previous standards from last year when UCI had 24 steals vs. Long Beach State and gave up just three points in the second quarter at Bakersfield. As of Nov. 26, UC Irvine ranks third in the nation in turnover margin (12.8), sixth in steals (15.2/gm) and ninth in turnovers forced (28.3/gm).
 
CENTURY MARK
After going without a 100-point game for 39 years, UC Irvine has now reached the century mark three times since February, 2018. It all started with a convincing 100-81 road victory at Long Beach State on Feb. 3. Just two games later, the 'Eaters posted their highest scoring total in the NCAA Division I Championship era, and tied an overall program record that was set back in 1979, with 107 points against Cal Poly (Feb. 15, 2018). UCI accomplished the feat again in the 2018-19 opener where it dropped 105 points vs. Life Pacific College on Nov. 7.
 
HOME COOKING
Since the start of the 2017-18 campaign, the 'Eaters are 13-4 (.765) at the Bren Events Center. Their 13 victories in less than two full seasons are more than the previous three years combined (10). In addition, they have won four-straight home games dating back to last year.
 
DEPTH PERCEPTION
One of UC Irvine's biggest strengths this year is its depth. All 10 active roster members have logged at least 13.0 minutes per outing, while the 'Eaters have had multiple players in double figures in every game. With their regular sub rotations, the Anteaters are able to press a majority of the time while not seeing much drop off on the offensive end. In fact, UCI's reserves have netted more than 25 points in three of five contests, while the bench has outscored its opponents by 14 points per game.
 
JORDAN EFFECT
UC Irvine is in good shape when sophomore Jordan Sanders scores at least 10 points. In her young career, the Anteaters are 18-3 when she reaches double digits, and 5-0 when she hits the 20-point mark. The Springfield, Mo., native has played a key role in UCI's 5-0 start as she has put up double digits in every game this year, with three of those being 20-point outings. Most recently, she recorded a career-high 25 points, to go along with 11 rebounds and four steals, in a 77-61 victory over then unbeaten Indiana State. That came one day after she dropped 21 points in 18 minutes vs. LIU Brooklyn. Sanders also notched 21 points, 12 rebounds and four blocks, in a 57-55 win against UNLV. Through five games, the 2018 Big West Freshman of the Year ranks second in the conference with 19.8 ppg, and third with 7.6 rpg.
 
CHART CLIMBER
Senior Andee Ritter sits alone in second on UC Irvine's career charts with 157 3-pointers made. She is on pace to break the school record of 198, which was set by Kathy Lizarraga (1988-92). The Medford, Ore., native already shattered Lizarraga's 28-year old single-season program record with 87 3-pointers two years ago, and tied UCI's single-game high with a career-best seven treys at UC Riverside on Jan. 7, 2017. She is also one steal away from entering the school's all-time top-10.
 
THE LO-DOWN
Junior Lauren Saiki (Monterey Park, Calif.) posted her first double-double as an Anteater with 10 points and a career-high 13 assists against Indiana State. She also committed just one turnover in the 77-61 victory over the Sycamores. Saiki's 13 dimes rank third in single-game program history and were the most by an 'Eater since Raelyn Cheung-Sutton dished out 12 vs. UC Davis on March 5, 2016. Saiki has reached double figures in scoring in each of the last three outings.

ROAD TO 5-0
UCI opened the 2018-19 campaign with a 105-31 victory over Life Pacific College (NAIA). The 74-point margin of victory was tied for the second largest in program history, while it was the third time since February 2018 that the 'Eaters reached the century mark. Facing a tougher test the following week, UC Irvine took down UNLV, 57-55, thanks to the late heroics of Andee Ritter, who made the game-winning layup with 3.1 seconds left. It snapped the Anteaters' seven-game losing streak in the series as it was their first win over the Lady Rebels in 24 years. UCI followed with double-digit victories over Southern Utah, LIU Brooklyn and previously undefeated Indiana State.
 
UP NEXT
UC Irvine will play its first true road game this weekend when it makes its way to San Jose State for a 2 p.m. tilt on Sunday, Dec. 2.