LUBBOCK, Texas - The UC Irvine women's basketball team led for more than 20 minutes, but was unable to hold off a late surge from the Lady Raiders in a 60-54 loss to undefeated Texas Tech Wednesday evening at United Supermarkets Arena.
 
The Anteaters (4-3) took control in the second quarter as they closed out the period on a 12-2 run to go up, 30-21. They kept their foot on the gas in the third frame, staying out front and taking their largest lead of the night at 41-31 on a putback from Nevaeh Parkinson at the 3:42 mark.

TTU then found its stride with a 10-2 spurt of its own to close the gap to two. The home team went on to outscore UCI, 19-11, in the final frame for the six-point win.
 
BY THE NUMBERS: Graduate transfer Moulayna Johnson Sidi Baba led the 'Eaters with a career-high 21 points. She was 8-of-16 from the field and a perfect 5-of-5 at the free throw line.
 
Junior Déja Lee added eight points and four rebounds, while senior Nevaeh Parkinson finished with seven points, five boards and three blocks. Redshirt freshman Clara Djoko chipped in four points, three rebounds, two steals and two blocks.
 
Junior Nikki Tom registered a team-high seven rebounds and five steals. Senior Nevaeh Dean followed with six boards, and senior Diaba Konate dished out three assists.
 
As a team, UCI shot 37% from the field and 82% at the charity stripe, but was just 1-of-19 from beyond the arc. They won the battle in turnovers forced (19-14), steals (12-6), points off turnovers (19-8) and points in the paint (34-20).
 
Bailey Maupin paced Tech with 21 points, while Kilah Freelon finished with 12 points and 13 rebounds.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED: Texas Tech (8-0) struck first and went up by four before UC Irvine responded with six unanswered points to take its first lead of the night, 8-6, at the 4:49 mark. That lead would change hands four more times with the Anteaters making the final push by scoring the last four points of the opening quarter, including a triple from freshman Shirel Nahum at the buzzer, to pull ahead, 15-11.
 
The 'Eaters extended their advantage to seven on a Djoko steal and layup with 7:24 to play in the second period. The Lady Raiders then came back with an 8-0 run for a 19-18 edge, but Parkinson put a stop to the rally with a layup. UCI proceeded to close out the half by outscoring TTU, 12-2, for a 30-21 cushion at the break.
 
UC Irvine stayed out front in the third frame. The two sides went back-and-forth over the first five minutes until an and-one from Sidi Baba started a 7-2 spurt that gave the Anteaters their largest lead at 41-31 with 3:42 remaining. Tech quickly answered with seven-straight points and a late three to close the gap to 43-41.
 
The Lady Raiders started the scoring in the fourth with a 3-pointer to give them their first lead of the second half. Junior Amelia Scharpf came back with a baseline jumper before Texas Tech went up, 49-46, on another trey at the 6:24 mark. Sidi Baba then knocked down a couple free throws and made a layup following a great hustle play from Tom to put UCI back on top, 50-49, with 3:49 to go. The Lady Raiders responded with their eighth trey of the game to take the lead for good.
 
UP NEXT: UC Irvine returns home to host Denver on Saturday, Dec. 2, at 2 p.m.
 
NOTES
• UC Irvine kept its streak alive, holding its opponent to fewer than 70 points for the 41st-straight game.
• For the second time in their last three outings, the Anteaters held an opponent averaging over 70 ppg to a season-low in points scored.
• Moulayna Johnson Sidi Baba joined Déja Lee as the only two 'Eaters with a 20-point performance this season.
• This was Sidi Baba's third game of the year after missing the first four recovering from an injury.
• UCI has forced more turnovers than it has committed in five of its seven contests.