Saturday, November 12
Sacramento, Calif.
1:00 PM
UC Irvine
at
Sacramento State
UC Irvine Heads to Sacramento State for Saturday Showdown
November 11, 2022 | Women's Basketball
UC Irvine (1-0) at
Sacramento State (0-0)
Date: Saturday, Nov. 12
Time: 1 p.m. (PST)
Location: The Nest (1,012) - Sacramento, Calif.
IRVINE, Calif. - UC Irvine women's basketball is on the road this weekend, traveling to Sacramento State for a 1 p.m. showdown on Saturday, Nov. 12.
STARTING FIVE: STORYLINES
• Since 2017-18, the Anteaters have averaged 17 wins per season. Their 87 total victories over that span mark the program's best five-year stretch since 1980-85. The 'Eaters have also been one of the toughest teams to face in The Big West over the last couple years as they own a league-leading 25-8 regular-season conference record.
• UCI welcomes back eight letterwinners from a 2021-22 squad that set a program record with 14 conference victories and tied a 37-year old school record with 21 overall wins. UC Irvine also advanced to The Big West championship game for the second year in a row and earned the program's first postseason WNIT bid. Graduate student Naomi Hunt is the Anteaters' top returner after averaging 7.2 points, 3.4 rebounds and 1.0 assists last season. Also back are 2022 Big West All-Freshman Team selections Hunter Hernandez and Olivia Williams, along with Nikki Tom, Déja Lee, Caiyle Kaupu, Amelia Scharpf and Tarryn Ross.
• The 'Eaters bring in four NCAA Division I transfers in 2022-23. Junior Diaba Konate is a point guard out of Idaho State where she averaged 10.5 points, 3.5 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 1.9 steals in her three seasons with the Bengals. UCI also adds some size with three post players in Nevaeh Dean (Cincinnati), Nyagoa Gony (Purdue) and Nevaeh Parkinson (New Mexico).
• UC Irvine will have a couple new faces on the sidelines. Head coach Tamara Inoue and associate head coach Cecilia Russell-Nava both return for their seventh year, while Derek Wynn, Tyler Ellis, Cassie Klockgether and Nisma Ali round out the staff. Wynn comes to UCI as an assistant with two decades of collegiate coaching experience. He had previous stints at the University of Washington, Long Beach State, USC and Pepperdine. Ellis, who spent the last three seasons as UCI's Director of Women's Basketball Operations, has also been elevated to assistant coach. Klockgether will fill the DOBO role and Ali will serve as the Director of Administration.
• Tamara Inoue has wasted no time in building UC Irvine into a championship contender. After taking over a program that had been through 11 losing seasons in 13 years, Inoue made remarkable progress as the 'Eaters increased their win total in each of her first three seasons, highlighted by the second-best turnaround in all of NCAA Division I in 2017-18. The 2021 Big West co-Coach of the Year, who has led UCI to two of the program's four 20-win campaigns, ranks second in program history with 93 career victories.
SCOUTING THE HORNETS
Sacramento State welcomes back four members from its 2021-22 squad that went 14-16 overall. Junior Isnelle Natabou, a 6-foot-5 center, is the Hornets' top returner after averaging 14.7 points and 10.9 rebounds per game last year. Sophomore Katie Peneueta is also looking to build off an impressive freshman campaign in which she averaged 8.7 ppg and knocked down a team-leading 56 3-pointers. Sac State has eight newcomers with four freshmen and four Division I transfers. Mark Campbell is in his second season at the helm of the Hornets' women's basketball program.
SERIES RECORD
UC Irvine and Sacramento State are tied in their all-time series at six wins apiece. The Anteaters snapped a three-game skid against the Hornets last year with a 58-51 victory at the Bren Events Center (Nov. 28, 2021). UCI led for all but 34 seconds of the game as Naomi Hunt's 10 first-quarter points put the 'Eaters up early. Hunt finished with a season-high 17 points and a career-best 12 rebounds.
BIG WEST DOMINANCE
No team has been better in Big West regular-season play over the last two years than UC Irvine. The 'Eaters are coming off back-to-back four-loss campaigns, combining for a conference-leading 25-8 record. In 2020-21 and 2021-22, UCI had the most victories in league play, but finished second based on win percentage.
2021-22 HIGHLIGHTS
Last year, UCI set a program record with 14 conference victories and tied a 37-year old school record with 21 overall wins. It was the Anteaters' second 20-win campaign in four seasons. They also advanced to The Big West championship game for the second year in a row and earned the program's first postseason WNIT bid.
ROSTER SHUFFLE
Like many programs across the country, UC Irvine had some roster turnover during the offseason. Despite losing six letterwinners, the Anteaters still bring back eight key members from last year's WNIT squad, while welcoming in four NCAA Division I transfers, three of whom advanced to postseason play with their respective teams in 2021-22.
LAST TIME OUT
UC Irvine kicked off the 2022-23 campaign with a bang as it routed NCAA Division III member Whittier College, 98-33, Tuesday evening at the Bren Events Center. The Anteaters held the Poets scoreless in the third quarter and went on to outscore them 55-7 in the second half. Déja Lee led five 'Eaters in double figures with a career-high 16 points to go along with eight rebounds and five assists. She also did not commit a turnover in 18 minutes of action. Olivia Williams had a collegiate-best 14 points, while Diaba Konate added 11 on a 4-of-4 shooting performance. Nikki Tom and Nevaeh Parkinson chipped in 10 points each. Nyagoa Gony led the squad with nine rebounds, and Caiyle Kaupu swiped a game and career-best four steals.
FOR OPENERS
The Anteaters have now won five of their last six openers. They were two points shy of reaching the century mark in the first game of the season for the third time in five years (105 vs. Life Pacific in 2018 and 114 vs. Westcliff in 2021).
QUARTER RECORDS
The 'Eaters outscored Whittier, 26-0, in the third period of their 98-33 season-opening win. It was the first time in program history UCI held its opponent scoreless in a quarter (since 2015-16). The previous school record was one point allowed in the third frame against Life Pacific on Nov. 7, 2018. UC Irvine was the third NCAA Division I team to blank its opponent in a quarter to start the 2022-23 season.
IN THE RANKINGS
Although not featured in the preseason rankings, UC Irvine was receiving votes in the final 2021-22 College Insider Women's Mid-Major Poll. During the season, the Anteaters made their way into the RV section of the rankings eight times. The last time they cracked the top-25 in the mid-major poll was in 2018-19 when they rose to as high as No. 15 in the nation.
Statistically, UCI ranked first in The Big West in overall scoring offense (66.5 ppg), scoring margin (+5.6), FT percentage (76.0), and offensive rebounds per game (13.2) last year.
HOME COOKING
Since 2017-18, UC Irvine is 48-20 (.706) at the Bren Events Center. Last year, 12 of the Anteaters' school-record tying 21 victories came at home, and they owned a +10.0 scoring margin in games at the Bren. UCI has won its last seven home games.
OPENING STATEMENT
Sophomore Déja Lee had the best game of her young career in Tuesday's season-opening win over Whittier College. Lee came off the bench to lead all players with a career-high 16 points (7-9 FG). She also set career bests with eight rebounds, five assists and no turnovers in 18 minutes of action.
GIVE AND TAKE
Sophomore Nikki Tom is the Anteaters' returning assists and steals leader. As a true freshman, she dished out 51 helpers (1.5 apg) and had 38 takeaways (1.2 spg). One of three 'Eaters to play in all 33 games last year, Tom also averaged 4.1 points and 2.8 rebounds. She continued to fill the stat sheet in Tuesday's opener with 10 points, five boards, four assists and three steals.
THE HUNT FOR 1,000
Naomi Hunt reached a significant milestone at the 2022 Big West Championships where she surpassed 1,000 points in her collegiate career. Hunt entered the quarterfinal round needing four points to hit the 1K mark and did so on a jumper with 2:05 left in the second quarter. The graduate student now has 1,039 career points with 803 coming in her three seasons at Long Beach State and 236 in her time at UCI.
IMMEDIATE IMPACT
UC Irvine's four NCAA Division I transfers made an immediate impact in the first game of their Anteater careers. In Tuesday's win over Whittier, Diaba Konate finished with 11 points on a 4-of-4 shooting performance, while Nevaeh Parkinson added 10 points (5-6 FG). Nyagoa Gony also pulled down a game-high nine rebounds, and Nevaeh Dean notched six points and four boards. Konate and Dean were both in the starting lineup.
TURNOVER TALK
Since 2016-17, the 'Eaters have forced 17.8 turnovers per game and have consistently been one of the top teams in The Big West in that category. UC Irvine continued to apply the defensive pressure in its 2022-23 season opener, forcing Whittier College into 22 turnovers and scoring 37 points off those miscues.
UP NEXT
UC Irvine makes its way to the Pacific Northwest where it will square off against Washington (Nov. 17) and Seattle U (Nov. 19).
Sacramento State (0-0)
Date: Saturday, Nov. 12
Time: 1 p.m. (PST)
Location: The Nest (1,012) - Sacramento, Calif.
IRVINE, Calif. - UC Irvine women's basketball is on the road this weekend, traveling to Sacramento State for a 1 p.m. showdown on Saturday, Nov. 12.
STARTING FIVE: STORYLINES
• Since 2017-18, the Anteaters have averaged 17 wins per season. Their 87 total victories over that span mark the program's best five-year stretch since 1980-85. The 'Eaters have also been one of the toughest teams to face in The Big West over the last couple years as they own a league-leading 25-8 regular-season conference record.
• UCI welcomes back eight letterwinners from a 2021-22 squad that set a program record with 14 conference victories and tied a 37-year old school record with 21 overall wins. UC Irvine also advanced to The Big West championship game for the second year in a row and earned the program's first postseason WNIT bid. Graduate student Naomi Hunt is the Anteaters' top returner after averaging 7.2 points, 3.4 rebounds and 1.0 assists last season. Also back are 2022 Big West All-Freshman Team selections Hunter Hernandez and Olivia Williams, along with Nikki Tom, Déja Lee, Caiyle Kaupu, Amelia Scharpf and Tarryn Ross.
• The 'Eaters bring in four NCAA Division I transfers in 2022-23. Junior Diaba Konate is a point guard out of Idaho State where she averaged 10.5 points, 3.5 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 1.9 steals in her three seasons with the Bengals. UCI also adds some size with three post players in Nevaeh Dean (Cincinnati), Nyagoa Gony (Purdue) and Nevaeh Parkinson (New Mexico).
• UC Irvine will have a couple new faces on the sidelines. Head coach Tamara Inoue and associate head coach Cecilia Russell-Nava both return for their seventh year, while Derek Wynn, Tyler Ellis, Cassie Klockgether and Nisma Ali round out the staff. Wynn comes to UCI as an assistant with two decades of collegiate coaching experience. He had previous stints at the University of Washington, Long Beach State, USC and Pepperdine. Ellis, who spent the last three seasons as UCI's Director of Women's Basketball Operations, has also been elevated to assistant coach. Klockgether will fill the DOBO role and Ali will serve as the Director of Administration.
• Tamara Inoue has wasted no time in building UC Irvine into a championship contender. After taking over a program that had been through 11 losing seasons in 13 years, Inoue made remarkable progress as the 'Eaters increased their win total in each of her first three seasons, highlighted by the second-best turnaround in all of NCAA Division I in 2017-18. The 2021 Big West co-Coach of the Year, who has led UCI to two of the program's four 20-win campaigns, ranks second in program history with 93 career victories.
SCOUTING THE HORNETS
Sacramento State welcomes back four members from its 2021-22 squad that went 14-16 overall. Junior Isnelle Natabou, a 6-foot-5 center, is the Hornets' top returner after averaging 14.7 points and 10.9 rebounds per game last year. Sophomore Katie Peneueta is also looking to build off an impressive freshman campaign in which she averaged 8.7 ppg and knocked down a team-leading 56 3-pointers. Sac State has eight newcomers with four freshmen and four Division I transfers. Mark Campbell is in his second season at the helm of the Hornets' women's basketball program.
SERIES RECORD
UC Irvine and Sacramento State are tied in their all-time series at six wins apiece. The Anteaters snapped a three-game skid against the Hornets last year with a 58-51 victory at the Bren Events Center (Nov. 28, 2021). UCI led for all but 34 seconds of the game as Naomi Hunt's 10 first-quarter points put the 'Eaters up early. Hunt finished with a season-high 17 points and a career-best 12 rebounds.
BIG WEST DOMINANCE
No team has been better in Big West regular-season play over the last two years than UC Irvine. The 'Eaters are coming off back-to-back four-loss campaigns, combining for a conference-leading 25-8 record. In 2020-21 and 2021-22, UCI had the most victories in league play, but finished second based on win percentage.
2021-22 HIGHLIGHTS
Last year, UCI set a program record with 14 conference victories and tied a 37-year old school record with 21 overall wins. It was the Anteaters' second 20-win campaign in four seasons. They also advanced to The Big West championship game for the second year in a row and earned the program's first postseason WNIT bid.
ROSTER SHUFFLE
Like many programs across the country, UC Irvine had some roster turnover during the offseason. Despite losing six letterwinners, the Anteaters still bring back eight key members from last year's WNIT squad, while welcoming in four NCAA Division I transfers, three of whom advanced to postseason play with their respective teams in 2021-22.
LAST TIME OUT
UC Irvine kicked off the 2022-23 campaign with a bang as it routed NCAA Division III member Whittier College, 98-33, Tuesday evening at the Bren Events Center. The Anteaters held the Poets scoreless in the third quarter and went on to outscore them 55-7 in the second half. Déja Lee led five 'Eaters in double figures with a career-high 16 points to go along with eight rebounds and five assists. She also did not commit a turnover in 18 minutes of action. Olivia Williams had a collegiate-best 14 points, while Diaba Konate added 11 on a 4-of-4 shooting performance. Nikki Tom and Nevaeh Parkinson chipped in 10 points each. Nyagoa Gony led the squad with nine rebounds, and Caiyle Kaupu swiped a game and career-best four steals.
FOR OPENERS
The Anteaters have now won five of their last six openers. They were two points shy of reaching the century mark in the first game of the season for the third time in five years (105 vs. Life Pacific in 2018 and 114 vs. Westcliff in 2021).
QUARTER RECORDS
The 'Eaters outscored Whittier, 26-0, in the third period of their 98-33 season-opening win. It was the first time in program history UCI held its opponent scoreless in a quarter (since 2015-16). The previous school record was one point allowed in the third frame against Life Pacific on Nov. 7, 2018. UC Irvine was the third NCAA Division I team to blank its opponent in a quarter to start the 2022-23 season.
IN THE RANKINGS
Although not featured in the preseason rankings, UC Irvine was receiving votes in the final 2021-22 College Insider Women's Mid-Major Poll. During the season, the Anteaters made their way into the RV section of the rankings eight times. The last time they cracked the top-25 in the mid-major poll was in 2018-19 when they rose to as high as No. 15 in the nation.
Statistically, UCI ranked first in The Big West in overall scoring offense (66.5 ppg), scoring margin (+5.6), FT percentage (76.0), and offensive rebounds per game (13.2) last year.
HOME COOKING
Since 2017-18, UC Irvine is 48-20 (.706) at the Bren Events Center. Last year, 12 of the Anteaters' school-record tying 21 victories came at home, and they owned a +10.0 scoring margin in games at the Bren. UCI has won its last seven home games.
OPENING STATEMENT
Sophomore Déja Lee had the best game of her young career in Tuesday's season-opening win over Whittier College. Lee came off the bench to lead all players with a career-high 16 points (7-9 FG). She also set career bests with eight rebounds, five assists and no turnovers in 18 minutes of action.
GIVE AND TAKE
Sophomore Nikki Tom is the Anteaters' returning assists and steals leader. As a true freshman, she dished out 51 helpers (1.5 apg) and had 38 takeaways (1.2 spg). One of three 'Eaters to play in all 33 games last year, Tom also averaged 4.1 points and 2.8 rebounds. She continued to fill the stat sheet in Tuesday's opener with 10 points, five boards, four assists and three steals.
THE HUNT FOR 1,000
Naomi Hunt reached a significant milestone at the 2022 Big West Championships where she surpassed 1,000 points in her collegiate career. Hunt entered the quarterfinal round needing four points to hit the 1K mark and did so on a jumper with 2:05 left in the second quarter. The graduate student now has 1,039 career points with 803 coming in her three seasons at Long Beach State and 236 in her time at UCI.
IMMEDIATE IMPACT
UC Irvine's four NCAA Division I transfers made an immediate impact in the first game of their Anteater careers. In Tuesday's win over Whittier, Diaba Konate finished with 11 points on a 4-of-4 shooting performance, while Nevaeh Parkinson added 10 points (5-6 FG). Nyagoa Gony also pulled down a game-high nine rebounds, and Nevaeh Dean notched six points and four boards. Konate and Dean were both in the starting lineup.
TURNOVER TALK
Since 2016-17, the 'Eaters have forced 17.8 turnovers per game and have consistently been one of the top teams in The Big West in that category. UC Irvine continued to apply the defensive pressure in its 2022-23 season opener, forcing Whittier College into 22 turnovers and scoring 37 points off those miscues.
UP NEXT
UC Irvine makes its way to the Pacific Northwest where it will square off against Washington (Nov. 17) and Seattle U (Nov. 19).
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