IRVINE, Calif. – The UC Irvine women's basketball team came alive in the final 20 minutes to erase a 14-point halftime deficit and run away with a 65-52 win over CSUN Saturday afternoon at the Bren Events Center.
 
UCI (13-8, 8-2 Big West) won its fourth in a row and remains in a tie for first with Long Beach State in the conference standings.
 
The 'Eaters got out to a slow start against the Matadors, shooting just 25% in the first half and trailing by as many as 18. They combined for seven field goals in the first and second quarters, six of which were 3-pointers.
 
The tables turned after the break with UC Irvine ramping up the intensity on both ends of the court. The Anteaters went 12-for-22 from the field, while holding CSUN to 6-of-23. They ended up outscoring the Matadors, 45-18, for the 13-point win.
 
BY THE NUMBERS: Jayde Cadee and Chloe Webb led the way, tying for the game high with 20 points each. Webb was 6-of-11 overall with three triples, and Cadee was 6-for-11 from beyond the arc. Webb added a career-high seven steals, which ranks third in single-game school history.
 
Kayla Williams was another catalyst in the comeback effort, scoring 14 of her 17 points in the second half. Williams also finished with five rebounds, seven assists and three steals. Nikki Tom chipped in six points, and Tara Dusharm pulled down five boards.
 
The 'Eaters forced 21 turnovers and scored 27 points off those miscues. They closed out the game shooting 38% overall, 48% from 3-point range and 76% at the free throw line, while holding CSUN to a 34% clip and 5-of-13 from distance. Jordyn Jackson paced the Matadors with 11 points, four assists and three steals.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED: UC Irvine got out to a 5-2 start following a Cadee 3-pointer, but CSUN responded with back-to-back triples for its first lead at the 6:40 mark. The Anteaters would knot it up at 8-8 on a three from Webb before the Matadors outscored UCI, 6-3, over the final three-plus minutes to take a 14-11 first-quarter advantage.
 
CSUN (7-12, 3-6 Big West) used an 18-3 run in the second period to pull ahead, 32-17, with 2:05 remaining. Cadee then ended a five-minute 'Eater scoring drought with a trey, and connected from downtown again with 51 seconds on the clock to cut the deficit to 34-20 at the half.
 
UC Irvine came out of the locker room with a renewed energy, scoring more points in the third quarter than it did in the entire first half. After going back-and-forth in the first two minutes, Cadee knocked down a 3-pointer to start a 12-2 rally that closed the gap to 40-35 at the 3:56 mark. The Matadors went back on top by nine, but Cadee and Williams combined to score the final nine points, bringing the home team even at 46-all.
 
The Anteaters kept the momentum in the fourth frame, outscoring CSUN, 19-6. Webb gave UC Irvine its first lead since three minutes into the first period with a jumper on the opening possession. The 'Eaters continued on a 14-3 spurt, capped by Cadee's sixth triple of the game, to increase their cushion to 60-49 with 4:11 to go. UCI didn't let up in the final minutes, coming away with the 65-52 victory.
 
UP NEXT: UC Irvine is on the road next week as it makes its way to UC Riverside (Feb. 10) and UC Davis (Feb. 12).
 
 
NOTES
• Chloe Webb, Jayde Cadee and Kayla Williams combined for 57 of UC Irvine's 65 points.
• Two Anteaters finished with 20 points in the same game for the first time since Jan. 6, 2020.
• Cadee had the third 20-point performance of her career and first of the season.
• She now has 127 career 3FG made, putting her one away from entering UCI's all-time top-five.
• Williams extended her double-figure scoring streak to 18 consecutive games.
• Webb's seven steals were the most by an 'Eater since Andee Ritter's eight takeaways at Nevada on Dec. 1, 2016.
• The Anteaters improved to 9-1 when allowing fewer than 60 points.
• They gave up more than three 3-pointers in a game for the first time since Jan. 15.
• Eight of UC Irvine's 13 wins have come by 10+ points.
• This was UCI's first meeting with CSUN since Jan. 23, 2020.
• The first scheduled game between the two teams of the season was canceled, while the Matadors opted out of the 2020-21 campaign.