SAN DIEGO - The UC Irvine women's basketball team fell behind early and was unable to dig itself out of the hole in a 75-56 loss to San Diego Sunday at Jenny Craig Pavilion.
 
The Anteaters (2-4) trailed by only 11 at the half, but a tough start to the third quarter put the game out of reach. Coming out of the break, the Toreros scored 14 points before UCI got on the board four minutes into the period. USD continued to roll from there, leading by at least 16 the rest of the way.
 
"We just quit, and we didn't do anything we talked about at halftime," said head coach Tamara Inoue. "We allowed them to continue to go after us. I was a little disappointed in that, and in our effort because normally our effort is really good."
 
BY THE NUMBERS: Sophomore Sophia Locandro led the 'Eaters with a game-high 16 points and eight rebounds. Redshirt freshman Kayla Williams added 11 points, five assists and three steals, while sophomore Jayde Cadee registered nine points and three boards. Sophomore Chloe Webb chipped in eight points and six rebounds, and freshman Caiyle Kaupu also had eight points in her second collegiate game.
 
The Anteaters forced 24 turnovers but committed a season-high 29 of their own. They shot 38% from the field and 50% from beyond the arc, while struggling at the free throw line where they were 13-of-24 (54%).
 
San Diego (3-2) shot 42% from the floor and was led by Jordyn Edwards who finished with 14 points.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED: The first quarter was a game of runs with San Diego taking an early 6-0 lead. Locandro then knocked down a couple 3-pointers, while Webb converted 1-of-2 at the free throw line to bring UC Irvine within one (8-7) at the 4:44 mark. USD punched right back with an 11-0 rally before Cadee ended a nearly four-minute scoring drought with a triple. The Toreros accounted for the final points of the period to go up, 21-10.
 
Williams started the second quarter with five-straight points to quickly close the gap to 21-15 with 8:43 remaining. The Anteaters kept the deficit to single digits and made it a five-point game (25-20) after a couple free throws from Kaupu at the 5:35 mark. San Diego then reeled off six unanswered, and closed the half on a 13-7 spurt to pull ahead, 38-27, at intermission.
 
The 'Eaters were unable to get much going in the third quarter as they fell behind, 52-27, before Cadee got them back on the board with a 3-pointer at the 6:03 mark.
 
The Toreros led by double digits the rest of the way in the 75-56 victory.
 
UP NEXT: UC Irvine will be on the road for its Big West opening series as it travels to UC Santa Barbara for back-to-back games against the Gauchos, Dec. 27-28. Both contests are scheduled for a 4 p.m. start and will be broadcast live on ESPN3.
 
NOTES
• The Anteaters used their fifth different starting lineup in six games.
• Chloe Webb made her first start of the season.
• Kayla Williams has finished with 10+ points, 2+ assists and 2+ steals in every game this year.
• Jayde Cadee has made a 3-pointer in 15-straight games.
• Cadee averaged 4.0 threes made in UCI's two outings this weekend.
• UC Irvine was without the services of seniors Haleigh Talbert and Alexus Seaton, and sophomore Melodie Kapinga.