HONOLULU - The UC Irvine women's basketball team closed out a tough road stretch with a gutsy 71-67 overtime win against Hawai'i Thursday evening in front of 1,400 fans inside SimpliFi Arena at Stan Sheriff Center.
 
The Anteaters (15-3, 7-0 Big West) continued to overcome adversity to match their longest win streak in program history at nine games. They also remained perfect in conference play to hold onto their two-game lead in the standings.
 
Despite losing sophomore Olivia Williams to an injury late in the first period, UCI kept its composure as it stayed out front and did not trail until the Rainbow Wahine used a 17-7 fourth-quarter run to take their first lead of the night with two minutes left in regulation. The 'Eaters responded three seconds later with a couple free throws from Diaba Konate, but a late whistle put UH's Lily Wahinekapu at the line with 0.6 seconds on the clock, and she made both to send the game into overtime.
 
UC Irvine took the momentum early in the extra period, scoring the first six points to pull ahead, 62-56, with 2:47 remaining. The 'Bows got back into it at the charity stripe with four made free throws cutting the deficit to two. Amelia Scharpf then drained a clutch three with 38 seconds remaining to give the Anteaters some breathing room (65-60). From there, they got it done at the foul line where they went 6-for-8 in the final 25 seconds.
 
BY THE NUMBERS: Sophomore Hunter Hernandez led UCI with a game-high 19 points to go along with seven rebounds, two assists and one steal. Junior Diaba Konate added 14 points, three assists and two steals, while sophomore Amelia Scharpf registered a career-best 13 points and five boards. Junior Nevaeh Parkinson rounded out a quartet of 'Eaters in double figures with 11 points, and she also pulled down seven rebounds.
 
Sophomore Nikki Tom contributed six rebounds, three steals and two assists.
 
UC Irvine shot 39% (24-61) from the floor, 27% (4-15) from beyond the arc and 70% (19-27) at the free throw line. UH held the slight advantage in field goal percentage at 42%, but was just 1-of-18 from deep.
 
Daejah Phillips paced the 'Bows with 13 points, six rebounds and four assists. Wahinekapu also finished with 12 points and eight boards.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED: It went back-and-forth over the first three-and-a-half minutes before buckets from Parkinson and Hernandez gave UC Irvine an 8-4 lead midway through the opening quarter. Hawai'i knotted it back up at 8-all, but Konate drained a couple jumpers in the final minute for a four-point advantage.
 
The Anteaters kept the hot hand in the second period as Parkinson started the scoring with a layup. Scharpf then knocked down a triple to extend the lead to 17-8 at the 8:57 mark. The Rainbow Wahine eventually closed the gap to three, but the 'Eaters came right back with a 7-0 spurt to go on top, 29-19, with 1:47 remaining. Hernandez fueled the rally with five-straight points. The two teams traded buckets down the stretch as UCI held a 31-21 cushion at the break.

UC Irvine went up by as many as 14 after a pair of free throws from Konate at the 4:13 mark of the third frame. The 'Bows were able to make a small dent in that margin as the visitors were up 44-33 heading into the fourth.
 
UH (6-10, 4-3 Big West) started the final quarter with six unanswered points. Parkinson stopped the rally by banking in a jumper and Tom made the first of two free throws to give the Anteaters a 47-39 edge with 6:55 left to play. Hawai'i then proceeded on a 14-4 run to take its first lead of the night, 52-51, at the two-minute mark. UCI countered on its next possession with Konate draining a pair from the charity stripe, but a seesaw battle ensued, ending in a 56-56 deadlock.
 
The 'Eaters went back out front in overtime with baskets from Scharpf, Parkinson and Konate making it 62-56. The Rainbow Wahine cut their deficit to two before Scharpf nailed a clutch three that made it 65-60 with 38 seconds left. That was more than enough for the Anteaters who got the job done at the free throw line to secure the 71-67 victory.
 
UP NEXT: UC Irvine is back in the Bren Events Center next Thursday, Jan. 25, when it plays host to Cal State Fullerton at 7 p.m.
 
NOTES
• UC Irvine's nine-game win streak ties a school record that was set back in 1976.
• Dating back to last year, the Anteaters have won 11 consecutive Big West regular-season contests.
• Since 2020-21, they are 32-8 in regular-season conference games.
• UCI gave up more than 60 points for just the fourth time this season, with two of those being overtime games.
• The 67 points allowed tonight were a season high.
• The 'Eaters are 15-0 when they have multiple players score in double figures.
• Hunter Hernandez has scored 14+ points in each of her last four outings.
• Diaba Konate was a perfect 6-of-6 at the charity stripe as she has now made 19 consecutive free throws.