End of Season Notes

UNCHARTERED TERRITORY
After the abrupt cancelation of last year's Big West and NCAA Tournaments due to COVID-19, the 2020-21 women's basketball season hung in the balance with the health and safety of the student-athletes, coaches, staff and community still a primary concern. On Sept. 16, 2020, the NCAA Division I Council approved moving the first official contest date to Nov. 25, and thanks to the assistance of UC Irvine leadership and the Orange County Health Care Agency, the return of college basketball was in sight for the Anteaters. In addition to an altered conference schedule released by the Big West in October, the 'Eaters were able to add six non-conference games starting on Nov. 28, marking their latest season-opening date in 27 years.
 
GETTING ON TRACK
The 'Eaters had plenty of veteran leadership with five seniors dotting the roster, but alongside those five seniors were five freshmen and four sophomores. In a normal year, the influx of young talent would have had time to mesh with the returners over the summer and throughout the fall. That process was disrupted by the pandemic, however, with only a couple weeks of full team practices before the first official game against a tough California Baptist squad that went on to win the Western Athletic Conference regular-season and tournament titles. The rust showed early on as UCI suffered only its second season-opening loss in fifth-year head coach Tamara Inoue's tenure. UC Irvine continued to work the kinks out, finishing the non-conference portion of its schedule with a 2-4 record.
 
BIG WEST DOMINANCE
With six games under their belt, and a few players returning from injury, the Anteaters were ready for the start of Big West play, kicking off their conference slate with their first regular-season series sweep of UC Santa Barbara since 2015. Redshirt freshman Kayla Williams led the way with a then season-high tying 24 points in the first game and a season-best 10 assists in the second meeting. Sophomore Chloe Webb also averaged 14.5 points and 8.5 rebounds in the series. After splitting a pair of home games with UC Riverside two weeks later, UC Irvine reeled off three-straight wins, starting with a road sweep at Cal Poly. Williams had one of her best outings in San Luis Obispo, leading UCI to a 79-70 overtime victory with a career-best 32 points on 10-of-22 shooting, including 7-of-11 from beyond the arc. She was named the Big West Player of the Week for her effort. The 'Eaters then picked up a dominant 82-68 win over Hawai'i with six players scoring in double figures. They improved to 6-1 in conference for the first time since 1994-95. The Anteaters continued to impress, finishing second in the league standings with an 11-4 record. Tamara Inoue was recognized as the Big West co-Coach of the Year. She became the second head coach in program history to earn the award, and first since 1995. Kayla Williams was tabbed the Big West Freshman of the Year, while also earning first-team all-conference honors, and Chloe Webb received an honorable mention nod.
 
POSTSEASON RUN
UC Irvine earned the No. 2 seed in the Big West Tournament for the fifth time in program history, and first since 1998. The 'Eaters opened postseason play against seventh-seeded UC Santa Barbara and were battle-tested right away. Playing without Williams, the team's scoring, assists and steals leader, UCI showed its resilience, fighting back from a 12-point deficit in the first half, and overcoming a Big West Tournament-record 18 3-pointers from the Gauchos for a 92-90 victory. The Anteaters held their own from beyond the arc, shooting 58.8% (10-17), and in what ended up being a back-and-forth affair, it was senior Haleigh Talbert who made the game-winning layup with 7.0 seconds on the clock. UC Irvine established postseason program records in points (92), field goals made (33) and field goal percentage (55.9). After a day off, the 'Eaters came back to defeat sixth-seeded Cal Poly, 68-59, in their second semifinal appearance in three years. The Anteaters trailed most of the way up until the fourth quarter when and-ones from freshman Victoria Baker and sophomore Sophia Locandro put them on top, 62-57, with just over a minute remaining. The Mustangs then ended a four-minute scoring drought with a bucket, but UCI held them scoreless over the final 47 seconds, while sealing the victory at the free throw line. UC Irvine advanced to the finals for the first time since 1997 where it met defending champion and top-seeded UC Davis. In the two teams' first meeting of the season, it was the Aggies who were able to pull away for the 61-42 win. The 'Eaters went toe-to-toe with UCD through the first three quarters, but ultimately ran out of gas in the fourth where they were outscored, 21-8. Williams and Webb were named to the Big West All-Tournament Team.
 
LOOKING AHEAD
UC Irvine will lose five seniors to graduation, but with the groundwork that has been laid and the culture that has been established by the 2021 graduating class, the Anteaters will be in good shape for years to come. The 'Eaters are set to welcome back nine letterwinners next season, including their three leading scorers. They will also usher in a highly-touted incoming group that features two McDonald's High School All-American nominees in Hunter Hernandez and Olivia Williams.