BAKERSFIELD, Calif. - The UC Irvine women's basketball team came up short in a game of runs at CSU Bakersfield, dropping a 73-65 decision Friday evening at the Icardo Center.
 
The Anteaters (8-6, 5-1 Big West) suffered their first conference loss, but still have their best Big West record through six games since 1994-95.
 
After the Roadrunners (7-6, 5-4 Big West) built a 17-point lead nearly midway through the second quarter, the 'Eaters came storming back with an 18-4 run to make it a three-point game at the half. They then put together their best 10-minute stretch in the third where they scored 22 points on 53% shooting. UCI went up by as many as eight, but it was the home team that would make the final push.
 
Overall, UC Irvine shot 37% and was outrebounded 41-24. The Anteaters did force 23 turnovers, while committing 17, but only held a 19-18 advantage in points scored off those miscues.
 
"I don't know if it was the pressure we faced, but the way we shot today is not characteristic of the way we've been playing," said head coach Tamara Inoue. "Credit to Bakersfield for pushing us and making us play faster than we normally do. Defensively, if we can force 23 turnovers, we have to capitalize better on that."
 
BY THE NUMBERS: Redshirt freshman Kayla Williams led the 'Eaters with 24 points. She was 5-for-8 from the field, 3-of-4 from beyond the arc and a perfect 11-for-11 at the free throw line. Williams also had three rebounds, two assists and a season-high tying four steals.
 
Senior Haleigh Talbert added 16 points (5-10 FG) and four boards, while sophomore Sophia Locandro had nine points. Sophomore Chloe Webb chipped in five points, four rebounds and three steals.
 
The 'Runners, who shot 45% overall, were paced by Jayden Eggleston's 15 points (5-5 FG).
 
HOW IT HAPPENED: CSU Bakersfield took an early 4-0 lead, but UC Irvine responded with a 12-4 run, capped by a traditional three-point play from Williams, to pull ahead 12-8 at the 4:15 mark. The Roadrunners punched right back with seven-straight points before Williams ended a three-minute scoring drought to bring the Anteaters within one. CSUB then took its largest lead of the first quarter with an and-one, but Williams knocked down a couple free throws with 4.3 seconds on the clock to cut the deficit in half (18-16).
 
The 'Runners took the momentum to start the second period, scoring the first 15 points to build a 33-16 cushion with 5:47 remaining. Senior Dani Guglielmo then knocked down a much-needed three from the top of the key, sparking a 10-0 rally that closed the gap to 33-26. After CSUB went back on top by double digits, the 'Eaters made another late push with five-straight points from Talbert and a Williams' triple at the buzzer to head into the half trailing by only three (37-34).
 
It went back-and-forth early in the third quarter before UC Irvine put together a 9-0 spurt to go up, 50-42, at the 4:34 mark. Talbert bookended the run with an and-one and a triple, while Williams also buried her third three of the game. CSU Bakersfield stayed in it with a trey of its own and trimmed UCI's advantage to 56-54 by the end of the frame.
 
The 'Runners reclaimed the lead early in the fourth and never looked back. They started the scoring with a 3-pointer and extended their margin to 63-56 before a jumper from Talbert got the Anteaters back on the board with 5:17 remaining. CSUB stayed out front and went 4-for-4 from the charity stripe in the final minute to secure the win.
 
UP NEXT: The Anteaters and Roadrunners will square off again tomorrow at the Icardo Center. Tip-off is set for 4 p.m.
 
NOTES
• UC Irvine has forced at least 20 turnovers five times, including in each of the last two outings.
• The Anteaters have also forced 17+ turnovers in 11-straight contests.
• Kayla Williams has scored 20+ points in each of the last three games.
• During that stretch, she is averaging 25.3 ppg, while shooting 53% from the field, 57% from behind the arc and 90% from the FT line.
• Tahlia Garza had her second-straight outing with two blocks, putting her five away from 100 in her career.
• Haleigh Talbert tied her season high with 16 points for her 25th career double-figure scoring game.