IRVINE, Calif. - UC Irvine women's basketball had its best offensive performance of the season in a 79-61 win over UC Davis Saturday at the Bren Events Center.
 
The Anteaters finished with season highs in points, 3-pointers made (9), field goal percentage (55.6%) and 3FG percentage (60%).
 
With the victory, the 'Eaters improved to 11-6 overall and 5-2 in Big West play. They are currently tied for third in the standings, sitting a half-game behind Hawai'i and one game back of league-leading UC Santa Barbara. Both teams will play tonight.
 
"Today I thought we were locked in for the full 40 minutes and that's what it's going to take for us to win games," said head coach Tamara Inoue. "This is not an easy conference so we have to be sure we're always ready to go."
 
BY THE NUMBERS: In her second start of the season, junior Amelia Scharpf was a perfect 6-of-6 from the field and 3-of-3 from beyond the arc for a career-high 15 points. Senior Diaba Konate also finished with 15 points (6-9 FG), four rebounds, seven assists and three steals.
 
Senior Nevaeh Parkinson added 14 points on a 6-for-11 shooting performance, while pulling down a team-best eight rebounds. Junior Déja Lee rounded out UCI's double-figure scorers with 12 points. Lee knocked down three triples, all of which came in the first half.  Graduate student Moulayna Johnson Sidi Baba contributed nine points and five boards.
 
As a team, the Anteaters were 30-of-54 from the field and 9-of 15 from beyond the arc.
 
UC Davis (9-9, 5-3 Big West), which saw its five-game win streak snapped, shot 44% overall and 36.8% from distance. Tova Sabel and Evanne Turner tied for the team lead with 13 points each, while Mazatlan Harris had 10 points and 11 rebounds.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED: UC Irvine came out firing, taking a 5-0 lead before UC Davis got on the board at the 7:18 mark. The Anteaters then went up by seven on Lee's second triple in the first five minutes, but the Aggies used a 4-0 spurt to close the gap to 12-9 with 3:18 remaining. Lee answered with an and-1, starting an 8-0 rally that put the 'Eaters on top, 20-9. UCD came back in the final 36 seconds of the opening quarter, cutting the deficit to 20-14.
 
UC Davis kept the momentum, scoring the first five points of the second period to pull within one. Lee came up clutch once again, knocking down another three at the 7:32 mark and a seesaw battle ensued over the next minute. UCI then went on a 15-3 run to pull ahead, 40-27, with 2:18 to play. UC Irvine maintained its double-digit advantage with a Konate layup at the buzzer giving the home team a 44-31 cushion at the break.
 
The Aggies drained a 3-pointer to start the third frame, but the 'Eaters proceeded on a 14-4 run, capped by a three from Tom, to go up, 60-40, with 3:26 left. UCD chipped away at the Anteaters' largest lead as they used a 9-3 spurt over the final three minutes to make it 63-49.
 
UCI held strong over the final 10 minutes as it led by at least 13 for the entire fourth quarter. The 'Eaters went back on top by 20 (77-57) following five-straight points from Sidi Baba before closing out the 79-61 victory.
 
UP NEXT: UC Irvine is back in action on Thursday, Jan. 25, when it hosts Black & Blue Rival Long Beach State at the Bren Events Center. It will be an early tip-off at 11 a.m. as part of the Anteaters' second annual Kids Day.
 
NOTES
• UC Irvine avenged a three-point loss to UC Davis two weeks ago as the teams split the regular-season series.
• The Anteaters have not lost to the Aggies at home since 2019.
•The 'Eaters improved to 5-1 at the Bren Events Center this season.
• UCI had four players reach double figures in scoring for the third time this season (3-0) and first since Nov. 24.
• The Anteaters' 55.6 field goal percentage was their best since shooting 56.6% against Westcliff on Nov. 9, 2021.
• Déja Lee has scored 10+ points in seven of her last eight outings.
• Diaba Konate recorded multiple steals for the fourth-straight game.