DALLAS - The UC Irvine women's basketball team suffered a heartbreaking 59-56 defeat to SMU Sunday afternoon at Moody Coliseum.
 
The Anteaters (3-10) went up by eight with 7:28 remaining in the fourth quarter, but were held to just three points the rest of the way.
 
The Mustangs (6-5) took advantage of the drought and eventually broke a 56-56 deadlock on a putback with 16.5 seconds to go. The 'Eaters were unable to convert on the other end and were forced to send SMU to the free throw line where the home team sealed the win.
 
"The difference was rebounding and getting stops at the very end," UCI head coach Tamara Inoue said. "The first three quarters I thought we did a good job of clogging the middle and not letting them get in the paint. I thought we did a good job today up until the very end."
 
BY THE NUMBERS: Freshman Jayde Cadee had a breakout performance with a season-high 21 points on 7-of-10 shooting from beyond the arc. Cadee's seven triples are tied for second in UCI's single-game history.
 
Senior Lauren Saiki finished with 12 points and a game-high six assists, while juniors Tahlia Garza and Alexus Seaton added eight points each. Seaton also registered a team-best six rebounds and four steals. Freshman Sophia Locandro chipped in five boards and three blocks.
 
The Mustangs' Paige Bayliss and Reagan Bradley tied for the team lead with 14 points. Bayliss (10 rebounds) and Johnasia Cash (12 points, 13 rebounds) both had a double-double.
 
The 'Eaters shot 30% from the field and 36% from long distance. They made a season-high 11 3-pointers. UCI forced the Mustangs into 26 turnovers, but lost the battle on the boards, 47-36.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED: SMU went up 9-0 before freshman Chloe Webb got UC Irvine on the board with a driving layup at the 5:54 mark. The Anteaters proceeded to go on a 12-3 run over the next two-plus minutes with a pair of free throws from Seaton knotting the score (12-12). The two teams then traded buckets until Cadee's third 3-pointer of the quarter put UCI on top, 19-16.
 
The 'Eaters kept the momentum early in the second period, pulling ahead, 30-21, on back-to-back triples from Saiki with 4:58 to play, but it was all SMU from there. UC Irvine was held to just one field goal, allowing the Mustangs to string together a 12-2 rally, capped by a three at the buzzer, for a 33-32 lead at the half.
 
After falling behind by five early in the third frame, the Anteaters regrouped with an 8-2 spurt giving them a 40-39 edge at the 5:58 mark. They then went on to outscore the home team, 7-4, over the final six minutes for a 47-43 cushion.
 
UCI increased the margin to 53-45 on a Garza layup with 7:29 remaining, but SMU responded with eight unanswered points over the next three minutes to even the score. Saiki then put UC Irvine back on top, 56-53, with her third trey at the 2:08 mark. The 'Eater offense stalled from there as an and-one from the Mustangs' Bradley evened it up, and a Bayliss tip-in provided the go-ahead bucket.
 
UP NEXT: UC Irvine will have a week off before closing out non-conference play against Westcliff University (NAIA) on Monday, Jan. 6. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. at the Bren Events Center.
 

NOTES
• Jayde Cadee was the first Anteater to make more than five threes in a game since Andee Ritter broke the school record with eight on Jan. 26.
• Cadee is the third active 'Eater to record a 20-point game this year.
• Lauren Saiki had her sixth-straight outing with 6+ assists.
• Saiki also knocked down three triples, extending her career-long streak of games played with at least one 3-pointer made to 15.
• UC Irvine was held to single digits in a quarter for only the third time this season and first since Nov. 30.
• The Anteaters established season highs in steals (12) and 3-pointers made (11).
• SMU entered today's game ranked 10th in the nation in rebounding.