Grand Canyon (8-2) at
UC Irvine (7-3)
Date: Wednesday, Dec. 21
Time: 2 p.m. (PST)
Location: Bren Events Center (5,000) - Irvine, Calif.
* UC Irvine Athletics is utilizing mobile ticketing and a clear bag policy.

IRVINE, Calif. - UC Irvine women's basketball kicks off a season-long three-game homestand with its non-conference finale against Grand Canyon on Wednesday, Dec. 21. Tip-off is set for 2 p.m. at the Bren Events Center.
 
STARTING FIVE: STORYLINES
• Wednesday's match-up will feature a high-powered offense against one of the top defensive teams in the country. Grand Canyon comes to Irvine averaging 80.0 points per game and shooting 46.6% from the floor. The Lopes rank 26th in the nation in scoring offense and 24th in field goal percentage. The Anteaters, meanwhile, are 14th in all of NCAA Division I in scoring defense, allowing only 52.4 points per outing. They have held eight of their 10 opponents to under 60 points and have given up single digits in a quarter 12 times. Both teams also rank among the top-20 in the country in steals and turnovers forced. GCU is second in takeaways (15.7 spg) and fifth in forced turnovers (24.9/gm), while UCI is ninth (13.2 spg) and 18th (22.4/gm), respectively.
 
• The 'Eaters own the best overall record in The Big West at 7-3. It is their best 10-game start since 2018-19 when they were 9-1. UC Irvine's early success has not gone unnoticed as it was receiving votes in the last four College Insider Women's Mid-Major Polls (Nov. 22-Dec. 13).
 
• UC Irvine has a balanced scoring attack with half of its roster averaging at least 7.0 points per outing. Eight Anteaters have registered at least one double-figure scoring game this year, while they have had seven different scoring leaders through the first 10 contests.
 
• Sophomore Hunter Hernandez had a pair of 20-point games last week. They were the first of her career and first for the 'Eaters this season. The 5-foot-9 guard earned the start against Westcliff on Dec. 14, and made her presence felt with 20 points (7-10 FG, 5-5 FT), 10 rebounds and three steals in 23 minutes of action. Three days later, Hernandez was at it again with another 20-point effort, as she went 7-for-10 from the field and 3-of-4 from beyond the arc. For the week, she averaged 15.7 points, 4.3 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 1.7 steals, while shooting 70% overall and 71% from deep.
 
• UCI has outrebounded its opponent in five of its last six games with a +7.7 margin during that stretch. The Anteaters have also seen a significant improvement in their free throw percentage recently, going from 65.4% to 72.7% since Nov. 25. Over their last six games, they are 79% (46-58) at the charity stripe. Individually, Diaba Konate leads the team and The Big West with an 89% clip.

SCOUTING THE LOPES
Grand Canyon (8-2) suffered its second loss of the season on Tuesday, falling to Idaho, 81-78, in overtime. Similar to UCI, the Lopes have spread the scoring around with six players averaging at least 9.0 ppg. They are led by Aaliyah Collins, who has registered 10.3 points per outing, while Evan Zars is tops on the squad in rebounding (7.4 rpg). GCU ranks among the top-25 in the nation in steals (2nd, 15.7 spg), turnovers forced (5th, 24.9/gm), turnover margin (6th, 24.9) and field goal percentage (24th, 46.6%). They are also 26th in the country in scoring offense at 80.0 points per contest.
  
SERIES RECORD
UC Irvine trails in its all-time series with Grand Canyon, 2-1. The Lopes won the last two by identical scores of 58-53. The two teams' most recent meeting came almost a year ago in Phoenix (Dec. 23, 2021). All three contests in the series have been decided by five points or less and neither side has scored more than 60 points.
 
LAST TIME OUT
UC Irvine closed out the two-day Beach Classic with a 72-57 win over Dartmouth in a neutral-site contest at the Walter Pyramid last Saturday, Dec. 17. The Anteaters came out firing, going 28-for-58 from the field and 11-of-23 from beyond the arc. UCI scored the first seven points and went up by as many as 27 in the fourth quarter. Although the Big Green made a late push, the 'Eaters were never threatened in the wire-to-wire victory. Hunter Hernandez led all players with 20 points on a 7-of-10 (3-4 3FG) shooting performance. It was her second 20-point effort of the week as she initially set her career high with 20 vs. Westcliff on Dec. 14. Naomi Hunt finished with a season-best 18 points and four steals. She was 7-for-11 from the floor and 4-of-8 from beyond the arc. Amelia Scharpf was the third Anteater in double figures with a career-high 10 points, while she also pulled down a career-best six 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 ninth in all of NCAA Division I with 13.2 steals per game. They have had 10+ takeaways in seven of their 10 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 (14th, 52.4 ppg), turnovers forced (18th, 22.4) and turnover margin (19th, 6.5). The 'Eaters have held nine of their 10 opponents to at least one single-digit scoring quarter and have given up fewer than 60 points on eight 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
UC Irvine's next win will be the 100th in head coach Tamara Inoue's career. In her seventh season, Inoue is the second-winningest coach in program history (99). 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.
 
HOME COOKING
Since 2017-18, UC Irvine is 51-20 (.718) at the Bren Events Center. In 2021-22, 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. Dating back to last year, UCI has won nine consecutive home games.
 
DOWN TO THE WIRE
UC Irvine has had four games 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.
 
ON THE ROAD AGAIN
UCI has become accustomed to being on the road as it is has played seven of its 10 games away from Irvine. The 'Eaters are currently 4-3 in road/neutral contests. Overall, seven of the Anteaters' 11 non-conference games are either on the road or at a neutral site.
 
20-POINT EFFORT
Sophomore Hunter Hernandez notched her first career double-double in her first start of the season with career-highs of 20 points and 10 rebounds against Westcliff last Wednesday, Dec. 14. Three days later, she matched that point total in a 72-57 win over Dartmouth. In her two 20-point efforts, Hernandez combined to shoot 70% (14-20) from the field, 80% (4-5) from beyond the arc and 80% (8-10) at the free throw line. The 5-foot-9 guard is now tied for second on the team with 9.1 points per game.
 
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 208 threes and currently sits at 1,135 points with 803 in her three seasons at Long Beach State and 332 in her time at UC Irvine. Hunt, who netted a season-high 18 points vs. Dartmouth on Dec. 17, is tops on the squad in scoring (11.4 ppg) and rebounding (5.0 rpg).
 
GIVE AND TAKE
Junior transfer Diaba Konate leads the team and ranks among the top-three in The Big West in both assists (4.3 apg) and steals (2.9 spg) per game. Konate has dished out  4+ dimes in each of her last five outings, including a season-high seven vs. LIU on Nov. 25. She has also registered at least one steal in all eight 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 9.1 points per contest. She has reached double figures four times with a season-high 16 points at Sacramento State (Nov. 12). Konate is shooting 44% from the field and a Big West-leading 89% at the charity stripe.
 
COURT PRESENCE
Sophomore Nikki Tom has been a steady presence on the court for UCI, starting every game and averaging 7.5 points, 4.4 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 1.9 steals. She is also shooting 45% overall and 30% from long distance. Tom has reached double figures in scoring five times this year with 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. In addition, the 5-foot-9 point guard finished with a career-high five steals and six assists vs. Westcliff on Dec. 14.
 
WILLIAMS FOR THREE
Sophomore Olivia Williams, who has four games with multiple 3FG made, ranks second on the squad with 13 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 8.2 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 kicks off Big West play next Saturday, Dec. 31, against CSU Bakersfield. Tip-off is set for 2 p.m. at the Bren Events Center.