SEATTLE - The UC Irvine women's basketball team took Pac-12 member Washington to double overtime before falling 62-60 Thursday evening at Alaska Airlines Arena.
 
The Anteaters (2-1) were handed their first loss of the season in their first double overtime game in seventh-year head coach Tamara Inoue's tenure, while the Huskies improved to 3-0.

The 'Eaters erased a 10-point first-quarter deficit and took their first lead of the night at the half as graduate student Naomi Hunt knocked down one of her five 3-pointers right before the buzzer to put them on top, 23-22. UCI stayed out front in the second half, going up by as many as eight with just under six minutes to go, but UW was able to rally to take a 48-47 advantage before ultimately tying it up at 50-all.
 
UC Irvine had its opportunities to win the game at the end of regulation and at the end of overtime, but the shots just didn't fall. The Huskies' Jayda Noble then hit the eventual game-winning jumper with nine seconds left in the second extra period.
 
"It was a great team effort tonight," Inoue said. "The fight back in the first half and the fight in overtime was good to see. We forced (Washington) into 28 turnovers, we just have to do a better job of capitalizing on the road. Overall, I'm really proud of them and I think we have a lot to learn from this game."
 
The Anteaters tied their season high with 28 forced turnovers, but were only able to score 16 points off those miscues.
 
BY THE NUMBERS: Hunt went 5-for11 from beyond the arc and led UC Irvine with 17 points. Sophomore Hunter Hernandez added nine points and five rebounds, while junior Diaba Konate finished with eight points, three assists and four steals. Junior Nevaeh Parkinson also pulled down a team and season-high eight rebounds, while sophomore Nikki Tom had six boards and five assists.
 
The 'Eaters shot 30% from the field, compared to 38% for the Huskies, but won the battle from long distance with nine threes to UW's 1-of-14 performance.
 
Dalayah Daniels paced Washington with a game-high 23 points and 14 rebounds.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED: Sophomore Olivia Williams knocked down a couple free throws to get UC Irvine on the board at the 8:01 mark before Washington used a 9-0 spurt to pull ahead, 11-2. Hernandez then snapped a five-minute scoring drought for UCI, but the Huskies responded with their largest lead of the game at 14-4. A free throw from junior Nevaeh Dean and a driving layup by sophomore Déja Lee with five seconds on the clock closed the gap to 14-7 at the end of the first quarter.
 
In the second period, the Anteaters went on a 10-2 run, which started with a couple buckets from Parkinson and ended with an Amelia Scharpf 3-pointer, to make it a one-point game (18-17). UW was able to stay out front until a layup from junior Caiyle Kaupu evened the score at 20-all. Washington broke the deadlock with 23 seconds left in the half, but Hunt drained a three from the top of the key with time winding down to give the 'Eaters their first lead of the night.
 
UC Irvine kept the momentum after the break, starting the third frame with an 8-2 rally to go up, 31-24, at the 6:20 mark. Hunt fueled the run with back-to-back triples. The Huskies called a timeout and regrouped after the short break, outscoring UCI, 6-2, over the next four minutes, to cut the deficit to three. Lee then hit a clutch three and the Anteaters carried a 38-33 cushion into the fourth quarter.
 
The 'Eaters took their largest lead of the night early in the fourth as a Hernandez trey made it 43-35 with 8:39 remaining. It went back-and-forth over the next couple minutes before Washington scored eight unanswered points to reclaim a 48-47 edge at the 1:39 mark. Hunt answered with another three before the Huskies tied it back up with 39 seconds remaining. UC Irvine had the ball in the final seconds but a layup by Hernandez rimmed out sending the game to overtime.
 
The seesaw battle continued in the first extra period with UW striking first by going up, 53-50. The Anteaters chipped away with a Hunt jumper bringing them within one and a couple free throws from Konate eventually knotting it up at 54-all. Both teams went scoreless over the final 1:10 to force a second OT.
 
There were three lead changes in the final five minutes with Washington making the final push. It was 60-60 when Noble drove into the lane for the go-ahead jumper. UCI called a timeout to draw up one last play but Hunt's attempt was just off the mark giving the home team the 62-60 win.
 
UP NEXT: UC Irvine stays in Washington as it makes its way to Seattle U for a 2 p.m. game on Saturday, Nov. 19.
 
NOTES
• This was UC Irvine's first double overtime game in seventh-year head coach Tamara Inoue's tenure.
• The Anteaters are now 4-3 in OT games since 2016-17.
• UCI has held each of its first three opponents of the 2022-23 campaign to at least one single-digit scoring quarter.
• The 'Eaters have forced at least 22 turnovers in each of their first three games.
• They have a +13.0 turnover margin on the young season.
• Naomi Hunt had her second-straight 17-point outing.
• Hunter Hernandez surpassed 100 career rebounds as her five boards tonight put her at 103.