UC Irvine (6-2) vs.
Southern Miss (5-4)
Date: Friday, Dec. 16
Time: 1 p.m. (PST)
Location: Walter Pyramid (4,000) - Long Beach, Calif.

UC Irvine (6-2) vs.
Dartmouth (2-8)
Date: Saturday, Dec. 17
Time: 1 p.m. (PST)
Location: Walter Pyramid (4,000) - Long Beach, Calif.

IRVINE, Calif. - UC Irvine women's basketball makes the short trip to fellow Big West member Long Beach State for the Beach Classic, Dec. 16-17. The Anteaters will play two neutral-site games as they are set to face Southern Miss on Friday and Dartmouth on Saturday. Both contests are slated for a 1 p.m. start at the Walter Pyramid. There will be no live stream but fans can tune in to KUCI.org with Brandon Marcus on the call.
 
STARTING FIVE: STORYLINES
• UCI has been one of the top defensive teams in all of NCAA Division I as it ranks seventh in the nation with 13.8 steals per contest, and is 16th in points allowed per game (52.1), turnovers forced (22.6/gm) and turnover margin (7.5).
 
• The Anteaters also lead The Big West in rebounding (39.8/gm), rebounding margin (5.8), blocks (4.5 bpg), assists (15.3 apg), assist-to-turnover ratio (1.0) and 3-pointers made (7.0/gm).
 
• The 'Eaters own the best overall record in The Big West at 6-2. It is their best start since 2018-19 when they were 7-1. UC Irvine's early success has not gone unnoticed as it was receiving votes in the College Insider Women's Mid-Major Poll for the fourth week in a row.
 
• UCI has outrebounded its opponent in four-straight games and owns a +12.0 margin during that stretch. The Anteaters have also seen a significant improvement in their free throw percentage, going from 65.4% to 73.2% since Nov. 25. Over their last four games, they are 82% (37-45) at the charity stripe.
 
• Six different Anteaters have led the team in scoring through the first eight games. Most recently, Hunter Hernandez finished with a career-high 20 points on 7-of-10 shooting in an 85-37 win over Westcliff (Dec. 14). It was UC Irvine's first 20-point effort of the season.

SCOUTING THE GOLDEN EAGLES
Southern Miss dropped to 5-4 on the season after a 56-47 loss to Alabama in its last outing on Dec. 11. Junior guard Domonique Davis, who played two seasons at LSU (2019-21), leads the Golden Eagles and ranks ninth in the nation with 21.8 points per game. She has also registered a team-best 37 assists (4.1 apg) and 20 steals (2.2 spg). Sophomore center Melyia Grayson is second on the squad in scoring (13.4 ppg) and first in rebounding (6.2 rpg).
 
SCOUTING THE BIG GREEN
Dartmouth (2-8) split its last two games, picking up a 71-56 win at Monmouth last Saturday, before falling to Drexel, 64-49, on Tuesday. Sophomore guard Victoria Page is the lone player in double figures at 12.3 points per contest. Page also leads the Big Green in assists (2.3 apg), while senior forward Emma Koch has averaged a team-best 8.1 rebounds per outing.
 
SERIES RECORDS
This weekend will mark UC Irvine's first meeting with both Southern Miss and Dartmouth.
 
LAST TIME OUT
UC Irvine put on a show for the 1,101 fans in attendance as they rolled past Westcliff University, 85-37, on their inaugural Kids Day at the Bren Events Center. The Wednesday matinee brought in eight local elementary schools, with their energy boosting UCI to an early 12-0 lead. The Anteaters never looked back, going up by as many as 49 late in the fourth quarter. Hunter Hernandez led the 'Eaters with a career-high 20 points and nine rebounds. She was 7-of-10 from the field and 5-of-5 at the free throw line. Olivia Williams added 15 points, four rebounds and four assists, while Déja Lee and Nikki Tom finished with 11 points and six assists each. Tom also notched a career-best five steals and Lee pulled down six boards. Caiyle Kaupu chipped in a season-high eight points and four rebounds.
 
BRINGING THE ENERGY
On Wednesday, Dec. 14, the Anteaters welcomed students from eight local elementary schools for Kids Day, and they did not disappoint, routing Westcliff University, 85-37. There was an electric energy in the Bren as UCI women's basketball brought in over 1,000 fans for the first time since 2011, while the recorded attendance of 1,101 was the sixth-best in program history.

DEFENSIVE MINDED
The Anteaters rank seventh in all of NCAA Division I with 13.8 steals per game. They have had 10+ takeaways in six of their eight outings, while three different players have registered five steals in a game this year. UCI is also among the top-20 in the nation in scoring defense (16th, 52.1 ppg), turnovers forced (16th, 15.1) and turnover margin (16th, 7.5). The 'Eaters have held seven of their eight opponents to at least one single-digit scoring quarter and have given up fewer than 60 points on six occasions.
 
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.
 
COUNTDOWN TO 100
Head coach Tamara Inoue needs two more victories to hit the 100-win milestone. She is the second-winningest coach in program history (98). The 2021 co-Big West Coach of the Year has led the 'Eaters to two of their four 20-win campaigns, including a school-record tying 21 last year.
 
ON THE ROAD AGAIN
UCI has become accustomed to being on the road as it is has played five of its eight games away from Irvine. The 'Eaters are currently 3-2 in road contests as they defeated Sacramento State, Seattle U and EWU, while falling to Pac-12 member Washington and Fresno State. Overall, seven of the Anteaters' 11 non-conference games are either on the road or at a neutral site.
 
CARDIAC KIDS
Four of UC Irvine's games have been decided by two points or less. At Sacramento State (Nov. 12), Diaba Konate hit the game-winning jumper with 0.2 ticks on the clock to lift the Anteaters to the 60-58 win. In a 54-53 victory at Seattle U on Nov. 19, it was Nevaeh Parkinson who finished the go-ahead layup with 4.2 seconds remaining. In addition, UCI's 62-60 double overtime loss at Pac-12 member Washington (Nov. 17) was won by the Huskies with nine seconds to go. On Dec. 1, the 'Eaters got it done on the defensive end with a stop on EWU's final possession to secure the 67-65 triumph.
 
HUNTING MILESTONES
Naomi Hunt has reached two milestones in her time at UCI as she eclipsed 1,000 career points last season and surpassed 200 career 3-pointers made in the win at Eastern Washington on Dec. 1. The graduate student has knocked down 202 threes and currently sits at 1,111 points with 803 in her three seasons at Long Beach State and 308 in her time at UC Irvine. Hunt, who has netted a season-high 17 points on three occasions, is tops on the squad in scoring (11.3 ppg) and rebounding (5.6 rpg).
 
GIVE AND TAKE
Junior transfer Diaba Konate leads the team and ranks among the top-three in The Big West in both assists (4.2 apg) and steals (2.8 spg) per game. Konate has dished out  5+ dimes in each of her last three outings, including a season-high seven vs. LIU on Nov. 25. She has also registered at least one steal in all six of her appearances, with a season-best five takeaways at Fresno State (Dec. 11). The Paris, France, native, has been one of UCI's top offensive threats as well, ranking second on the squad in scoring at 10.8 points per contest. She has reached double figures four times with a season-high 16 points at Sacramento State (Nov. 12). Konate is shooting 47% from the field and a Big West-leading 89% at the charity stripe.
 
MISS CONSISTENCY
Sophomore Nikki Tom has been a steady presence on the court for UCI, starting every game and averaging 9.4 points, 5.1 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 2.4 steals. She also leads the 'Eater guards in field goal percentage (53%) and ranks second in 3FG percentage (43%). Tom has reached double figures in scoring five times this year, including in three of her last four outings. She posted a career-high 18 points on a near perfect performance where she was 6-of-7 from the field (4-4 3FG) vs. LIU on Nov. 25. Since that game, Tom has shot 60% (18-30) overall and 63% (5-8) from beyond the arc. In addition, the 5-foot-9 point guard finished with a career-high five steals and six assists vs. Westcliff on Dec. 14.
 
ON THE HORIZON
Diaba Konate, who dished out her 300th career assist at Eastern Washington on Dec. 1, is approaching another benchmark as she is on pace to reach 1,000 points. Konate (887) needs 113 more points to join the 1K club.
 
LATE GAME IMPACT
Graduate transfer Nyagoa Gony played a key defensive role in UC Irvine's wins at Sac State and Seattle U. Against the Hornets, the 6-foot-3 forward had three of her career-high four blocks during a 15-2 fourth-quarter run that gave the Anteaters a late 58-56 advantage, which was their first lead since the opening minute of the game. Gony's fourth block at Seattle U also came on the last play of the contest to seal the 54-53 victory for the 'Eaters. Gony is tied for first in The Big West with 14 total blocks (1.8/game).
 
WILLIAMS FOR THREE
Sophomore Olivia Williams, who has four games with multiple 3FG made, ranks second on the squad with 12 triples. She went 4-for-8 from beyond the arc for a career-high 16 points at Seattle U. The 6-foot-1 guard also reached double figures with 15 points vs. Westcliff and 14 vs. Whittier. She is averaging 8.9 ppg.
 
OPENING STATEMENT
Sophomore Déja Lee had the best game of her young career in UCI'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 notched eight rebounds, five assists and no turnovers in 18 minutes of action. Lee reached double figures in scoring again at Seattle U (12), at Eastern Washington (11) and vs. Westcliff (11). She added a career-best six assists against the Warriors.

UP NEXT
UC Irvine closes out its non-conference schedule at home next Wednesday, Dec. 21, when it welcomes Grand Canyon to the Bren Events Center for a 2 p.m. showdown.