UCI Entertains UC Davis, Travels to Long Beach State

Thursday, January 5

Irvine, Calif.

7:00 PM

UC Irvine

UC Davis

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Photo by: Robert Huskey

UCI Entertains UC Davis, Travels to Long Beach State

January 03, 2023 | Women's Basketball

ESPN+Listen on KUCI Live Stats Game Notes

UC Davis (4-7, 0-1 Big West) at
UC Irvine (9-3, 1-0 Big West)
Date: Thursday, Jan. 5
Time: 7 p.m. (PST)
Location: Bren Events Center (5,000) - Irvine, Calif.
* UC Irvine Athletics is utilizing mobile ticketing and a clear bag policy.

UC Irvine (9-3, 1-0 Big West) at
Long Beach State (7-5, 2-0 Big West)
Date: Saturday, Jan. 7
Time: 4 p.m. (PST)
Location: Walter Pyramid (4,200) - Long Beach, Calif.

IRVINE, Calif. - UC Irvine women's basketball closes out a season-long three-game homestand Thursday, Jan. 5, when it welcomes UC Davis to the Bren Events Center for a 7 p.m. showdown. The Anteaters will then make their way to Long Beach State for a 4 p.m. Black & Blue Rivalry game on Saturday, Jan. 7.

STARTING FIVE: STORYLINES
• UC Irvine is coming off a 55-49 victory over CSU Bakersfield last Saturday, Dec. 31. It was the Anteaters' third consecutive Big West-opening win and fourth in the last five years.

• At 9-3, the 'Eaters have their best record through 12 games since 2018-19 when they went 10-2. UCI's success has not gone unnoticed as it entered the College Insider Women's Mid-Major Top 25 last week before moving up two spots to No. 19 in the latest poll released on Jan. 3. UC Irvine was also receiving votes for five-straight weeks (Nov. 22-Dec. 20).

• Ten of the Anteaters' 12 active players are averaging 11.0+ minutes per game. They have a balanced scoring attack with half of their roster averaging at least 6.0 points per outing. Eight 'Eaters have also registered at least one double-figure scoring game this year, while they have had seven different scoring leaders through the first 12 contests.

• UCI ranks first in The Big West and is among the top-15 in all of NCAA Division I in scoring defense (6th, 52.0 ppg), steals (10th, 12.5 spg) and turnovers forced (15th, 22.3/gm). The Anteaters have held 10 of their 12 opponents, including each of the last six, to under 60 points. They have also given up fewer than 10 points in a quarter 13 times.

• Since 2020-21, UC Irvine owns a Big West-leading 26-8 record in regular-season conference games.

SCOUTING THE AGGIES
UC Davis (4-7, 0-1 Big West) fell to Hawai'i, 70-62, in its Big West opener on Dec. 29. Evanne Turner, a preseason all-conference selection, leads the Aggies and is tops in the league with 16.2 points per game and 30 made 3-pointers.

SERIES RECORD
UC Irvine trails in its all-time series with UC Davis, 33-11. The Anteaters won the last meeting with an 84-75 overtime victory in the Big West semifinals in Henderson, Nevada, on March 11, 2022.

SCOUTING THE BEACH
Long Beach State (7-4, 2-0 Big West) started its conference slate with a pair of road wins, defeating UC San Diego, 66-52, and UC Riverside, 73-62, last week. LBSU ranks among the top-25 in the nation in steals (12th, 12.3 spg), turnover margin (20th, 6.0) and turnovers forced (25th, 21.1/gm). Reigning Big West Player of the Week Tori Harris leads the Beach with 13.4 points per outing, while Malia Bambrick is averaging 12.4 ppg. Ma'Qhi Berry also has a team-best 52 assists (4.7 apg) and 30 steals (2.7 spg).

SERIES RECORD
UC Irvine trails in its all-time series with Long Beach State, 63-20, but has won six of the last 10, including a 70-47 victory in the most recent meeting in Long Beach on Feb. 26, 2022.

LAST TIME OUT
UC Irvine closed out the 2022 calendar year with a 55-49 Big West-opening win over CSU Bakersfield last Saturday, Dec. 31, at the Bren Events Center. The Anteaters took an early lead and went up by as many as 12 before the Roadrunners threatened in the fourth quarter. UCI went scoreless through the first five minutes of the final period, allowing the 'Runners to take a 46-44 advantage with 4:48 remaining. Nevaeh Parkinson then got the 'Eaters on the board with a putback before Olivia Williams knocked down a clutch three to put the home team up for good. UC Irvine's defense was key in the second half where it forced 15 of CSUB's 22 turnovers. Naomi Hunt led the Anteaters with a game-high 18 points as she went 6-for-13 from the field with four made threes. Williams was perfect from the floor (3-3 FG, 2-2 3FG) and at the charity stripe (2-2) for 10 points. Parkinson added eight points and a team-leading eight rebounds.

100 AND COUNTING
Seventh-year head coach Tamara Inoue earned her 100th career win in the non-conference finale against Grand Canyon on Dec. 21. Inoue is the second coach in program history to reach the century mark as her 101 victories rank second all-time behind only Dean Andrea (158), who spent 13 years at the helm from 1978-1991. Inoue, the 2021 co-Big West Coach of the Year has led the 'Eaters to two of the program's three national postseason tournaments and two of their four 20-win campaigns.

IN THE RANKINGS
UC Irvine moved up two spots to No. 19 in the College Insider Women's Mid-Major Top-25. The Anteaters entered the rankings at No. 21 on Dec. 27, after receiving votes in each of the previous five polls. They are 3-1 against teams that are currently ranked or receiving votes.

HOME COOKING
Since 2017-18, UC Irvine is 53-20 (.726) at the Bren Events Center. The Anteaters are a perfect 5-0 at home this year and have won 11 consecutive games at the Bren dating back to last season.

DEFENSIVE MINDED
The Anteaters are tied for sixth with USC in all of NCAA Division I in scoring defense, coming in behind only South Carolina, Duke, Mississippi State, LSU and Campbell at 52.0 points allowed per game. They have held 10 of their 12 opponents to at least one single-digit scoring quarter and have given up fewer than 60 points on 10 occasions (8-2). The last time they allowed more than 60 points was in a 67-65 win at Eastern Washington on Dec. 1. UCI also ranks 10th in the nation in steals (12.5 spg) and 15th in turnovers forced (22.3/gm). The 'Eaters have pressured 10 of their adversaries into 20+ turnovers, while they have registered at least 10 steals eight times.

FROM THE LINE
After shooting just 65% from the free throw line through its first four games, UCI has seen a significant improvement since Nov. 25, bumping its percentage up to a Big West-leading 76.6%. Through their last eight outings, the 'Eaters have gone 82% (84-102) at the charity stripe. Individually, Diaba Konate is tops on the squad and ranks second in the conference with an 88.2% clip.

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 (2.6 spg) per game. Konate has dished out 3+ dimes in each of her last eight outings, including a season-high seven vs. LIU on Nov. 25. She has also registered at least one steal in all 10 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 9.2 ppg. She has five double-figure scoring games with a season-high 16 points at Sac State (Nov. 12).

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 212 threes and sits at 1,161 points with 803 in her three seasons at Long Beach State and 358 in her time at UC Irvine. Hunt, who netted a season-high 18 points vs. Dartmouth and vs. CSUB, is tops on the squad in scoring (11.7 ppg) and rebounding (4.9 rpg).

WILLIAMS FOR THREE
Sophomore Olivia Williams, who has six games with multiple 3FG made, ranks second on the squad with 18 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, 14 vs. Whittier, 11 vs. GCU and 10 vs. CSU Bakersfield. She is averaging 8.6 ppg.

SEEING DOUBLE
Sophomore Hunter Hernandez has both of the Anteaters' double-doubles and 20-point games this season. In her first start of the year on Dec. 14, Hernandez finished with career-highs of 20 points and 10 rebounds against Westcliff. Three days later, she matched that point total in a 72-57 win over Dartmouth. The 5-foot-9 guard also had 13 points and 10 boards in the non-conference finale vs. Grand Canyon. Hernandez currently ranks third on the squad with 9.1 ppg and is tied for second with 4.5 rpg.

COURT PRESENCE
Sophomore Nikki Tom has been a steady presence on the court for UCI, starting every game and averaging 7.2 points, 4.5 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 1.7 steals. She is tied for the team lead with five double-figure scoring performances, including 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 registered a career-high five steals and six assists vs. Westcliff on Dec. 14.

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.

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 (914) needs 86 more points to join the 1K club.

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.

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, and the recorded attendance of 1,101 was the sixth-best in program history.

DOWN TO THE WIRE
UC Irvine had four non-conference games that were 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 played seven of its 11 non-conference games away from Irvine and went 4-3 in road/neutral contests. After closing out a season-long three-game home stretch on Thursday, Jan. 5, the 'Eaters will be back on the road at Long Beach State on Saturday (Jan. 7).

2021-22 HIGHLIGHTS
Last year, UCI set a program record with 14 conference victories and tied a 37-year old school record with 21 overall wins. It was the Anteaters' second 20-win campaign in four seasons. They also advanced to The Big West championship game for the second year in a row and earned the program's first postseason WNIT bid.

BIG WEST DOMINANCE
No team has been better in Big West regular-season play over the last two years than UC Irvine. The 'Eaters are coming off back-to-back four-loss campaigns, combining for a conference-leading 25-8 record. In 2020-21 and 2021-22, UCI had the most victories in league play, but finished second based on win percentage.

UP NEXT
UC Irvine will make the short trip to Cal State Fullerton next Wednesday, Jan. 11, before playing host to CSUN on Islamic Community Day on Saturday, Jan. 14.