Long Beach State (6-11, 1-6 Big West) at
UC Irvine (11-6, 5-2 Big West)
Date: Thursday, Jan. 25
Time: 11 a.m. (PST)
Location: Bren Events Center (5,000) - Irvine, Calif.
Mobile Ticketing & Clear Bag Policy

UC Irvine (11-6, 5-2 Big West) at
CSUN (2-15, 0-7 Big West)
Date: Saturday, Jan. 27
Time: 2 p.m. (PST)
Location: Premier America Credit Union Arena (2,500) - Northridge, Calif.

IRVINE, Calif. - UC Irvine women's basketball is set to host Black & Blue Rival Long Beach State at the Bren Events Center on Thursday, Jan. 25. The two teams will have an early 11 a.m. tip-off as part of the Anteaters' second annual Kids Day. UCI then makes its way to CSUN for a 2 p.m. showdown on Saturday, Jan. 27.
 
STARTING FIVE: STORYLINES
• UC Irvine has a streak of 51 consecutive games holding its opponent to under 70 points. The last time the Anteaters gave up 70+ was in an overtime win against UC Davis in the 2022 Big West quarterfinals (March 11, 2022). This year, UCI is first in The Big West and 26th in the nation in scoring defense (55.6 ppg). The 'Eaters are also among the top-45 NCAA Division I teams in steals (35th, 10.6 spg) and turnovers forced (43rd, 19.7/gm).

• Since 2020-21, UCI has not lost more than four conference games in a season, combining for a league-leading 46-12 (.793) record during that stretch. Last year, the Anteaters went 16-2 to win the program's first Big West regular-season title.

• Since 2017-18, UC Irvine is 64-23 (.736) at the Bren Events Center. This season, the 'Eaters are 5-1 with a +12.7 scoring margin on their home court. 

• Senior Diaba Konate has reached double figures in scoring in six of UCI's last 10 games. She has also recorded multiple steals in four-straight outings, and has dished out 5+ assists six times this season. Through seven conference games, Konate ranks first in The Big West in assists (3.6 apg) and fifth in steals (2.4 spg).

• Junior Amelia Scharpf made her way into the starting lineup last week. In those two outings, she averaged 10.5 points on 75% (9-12) shooting and a 3-for-6 performance from beyond the arc.

SCOUTING THE BEACH
Long Beach State (6-11, 1-6 Big West) is on a five-game losing streak after falling at Hawai'i, 68-55, last week. The Beach ranks first in The Big West with 337 turnovers forced (19.8/gm), but has also committed a league-high 389 turnovers (22.9/gm) of its own. Savannah Tucker leads LBSU with 12.8 points per outing.

SERIES RECORD
UC Irvine trails in its all-time series with Long Beach State, 64-21. The teams split their two regular-season games last year with the Anteaters winning 60-57 on the road (Jan. 7, 2023) and falling 52-50 at home (Feb. 4, 2023).

SCOUTING THE MATADORS
CSUN (2-15, 0-7 Big West) has lost 15 in a row with its last win coming in overtime against Seattle U on Nov. 9. The Matadors will head to Cal State Bakersfield (Jan. 25) before hosting UCI on Saturday. Amiyah Ferguson is tops on the squad with 9.5 points and 2.7 assists per game. Kayanna Spriggs has also put up 9.1 points and a team-best 6.7 rebounds per outing.

SERIES RECORD
UCI trails in its all-time series with CSUN, 32-29, but has won the last three. The 'Eaters swept the regular-season series last year with a 69-62 victory at the Bren (Jan. 14, 2023) and a 54-52 win on the road (Jan. 28, 2023).

LAST TIME OUT
UC Irvine had its best offensive performance of the season in a 79-61 win over UC Davis last 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% (60%). In her second start of the season, 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. Diaba Konate also had 15 points (6-9 FG), four rebounds, seven assists and three steals. Nevaeh Parkinson added 14 points, while pulling down a team-best eight rebounds. Déja Lee rounded out UCI's double-figure scorers with 12 points. Lee knocked down three triples.

LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN
Over the last three-plus years, no team has been better in Big West regular-season play than UCI. Since 2020-21, the Anteaters have not lost more than four conference games in a season, combining for a league-leading 46-12 (.793) record during that stretch. 

MID-MAJOR POLL
The Anteaters were receiving votes in the latest College Insider Women's Mid-Major Poll released on Jan. 23. They have been featured in the RV section in nine of the 12 weekly rankings (including preseason).

DEFENSIVE MINDED
The 'Eaters rank first in The Big West and 26th in all of NCAA Division I with 55.6 points allowed per game. They have held 12 of their 17 opponents to 60 points or less. UCI is also among the top-45 in the nation in steals (10.6 spg) and turnovers forced (19.7/gm).

OFFENSIVE TRENDS
UC Irvine's defense has been solid throughout the season, but the Anteaters have seen some inconsistency on the offensive end. In their 11 wins, the 'Eaters are averaging 67.1 points on 43% shooting, including a 35% clip from beyond the arc. In the six losses, however, UCI has put up 53.0 ppg, a 35.1 field goal percentage and is just 20-for-113 (17.7%) from deep.

STRENGTH IN NUMBERS
UC Irvine has outscored its opponents in bench points by a 13.5 margin. Their 26.2 bench points per game rank 31st in all of NCAA Division I.

DÉJA VU
Junior Déja Lee has three of UCI's four 20-point performances this season. Lee drained a career-high 23 in the opener at Pepperdine before matching that total vs. St. Thomas on Nov. 24. The 5-foot-9 point guard also dropped 22 against Cal State Bakersfield (Dec. 30) to help secure her first career Big West Player of the Week award. Lee ranks first on the team with 12.7 points per outing and is second in both assists (2.6 apg) and steals (2.1 spg). She has upped her numbers in Big West play, ranking among the top-five in the conference in scoring (4th, 14.1 ppg), FG% (4th, 50%), steals (4th, 2.7 spg), 3FG made (2nd, 2.3/gm) and 3FG% (5th, 44%). Overall, Lee has 26 career 10+ point games and five 20-point efforts.

STEALING THE SHOW
Déja Lee has recorded multiple steals on nine occasions this season, including 5+ in three of the last four games. At UC Davis (Jan. 6), Lee had a career-high six steals which is tied for fourth in single-game school history. She also had five takeaways, including four in the first quarter, against Hawai'i on Jan. 11, and went on to match her career best with six steals at UC San Diego (Jan. 18).

BIG WEST ACCLAIM
Déja Lee was named the Big West Player of the Week on Jan. 1 after averaging 17.5 points on 54% shooting in UCI's 2-0 conference start. Lee scored all 13 of her points in the second half of a 67-52 win at UC Riverside, and put up 17 of her game-high 22 in the final 20 minutes of a 71-48 victory over Cal State Bakersfield. 

POWER 5 IMPACT
Moulayna Johnson Sidi Baba, a graduate transfer from Miami, is averaging 10.7 points and 5.6 rebounds in 12 games played. Sidi Baba registered the Anteaters' first double-double of the year with 19 points and a season-best 11 boards against Colorado State on Dec. 16. She was just shy of her career-high 21 points, which she set at Big 12 member Texas Tech on Nov. 29. Sidi Baba was 8-for-16 from the field and a perfect 5-of-5 at the free throw line vs. the Lady Raiders. The 6-foot-1 guard/forward also reached double figures with 18 points at Cal State Fullerton (Jan. 4), 14 at UC San Diego (Jan. 18), 13 vs. Cal State Bakersfield (Dec. 30) and 10 in her UC Irvine debut against St. Thomas on Nov. 24. 

IRON WOMAN
Junior Nikki Tom has played in every game since her arrival at UC Irvine in 2021-22. She leads the team with 82 consecutive appearances, 59 consecutive starts and 2,351 minutes (28.7 mpg) in an Anteater uniform. This season, Tom is averaging 7.6 points, 3.6 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 2.1 steals per outing. She is tops on the squad with an 89.2 free throw percentage (33-37). The 5-foot-9 guard has six double-figure scoring games with a season-high 15 points at Pacific. Tom was named to the All-Big West Preseason Coaches Team.

GIVE AND TAKE
Fifth-year senior Diaba Konate leads the 'Eaters and ranks among the top-five in The Big West with 62 assists (3.6 apg) and 39 steals (2.3 spg). In UCI's two wins last week, she averaged 12.0 points, 6.0 assists and 3.5 steals with a 6.0 assist-to-turnover ratio. Konate dished out a season-best eight dimes against Eastern Washington on Nov. 20 and had a UCI career-high tying five takeaways vs. Denver on Dec. 2. Konate has at least one steal in 41 of her 46 appearances as an Anteater. Last year, the All-Big West Defensive Team selection tied for eighth in single-season school history with 63 steals. In her collegiate career at Idaho State and UC Irvine, Konate has amassed 1,220 points, 401 rebounds, 446 assists and 254 steals.

SPARK OFF THE BENCH
Senior Nevaeh Parkinson, the reigning Big West Best Sixth Player, has continued to provide a spark off the bench for the Anteaters. The 6-foot-3 center is averaging 8.2 points and a team-best 5.9 rebounds per game, while shooting 54.7% from the field. Against Seattle U (Nov. 11), Parkinson went 8-for-11 from the floor to finish with a career-high 17 points. She also pulled down a season-best 11 rebounds in a win over Denver on Dec. 2. 

FRESH LOOK
Shirel Nahum ranks among The Big West's top-10 freshmen in scoring (5.5 ppg), assists (0.8 apg), steals (0.9 spg) and minutes played (21.3 mpg). Nahum has three double-figure scoring games with a season-high 16 points at New Mexico State on Dec. 5.

DEAN FROM DOWNTOWN
Last year, Nevaeh Dean didn't attempt her first 3-pointer until the Anteaters' 26th game, but finished with three triples over the final four weeks of the campaign. This year, the 6-foot-2 forward has already doubled that total as she is 6-of-11 from beyond the arc. Against Eastern Washington (Nov. 20), she went 6-for-9 from the field and knocked down both of her threes for a career-high 15 points. Dean, who transferred from Cincinnati last year, has started 48 of 49 games played at UC Irvine.

UP NEXT
UC Irvine will host Cal Poly on Thursday, Feb. 1, before making the trek to Hawai'i for a rematch with the league-leading Rainbow Wahine on Saturday, Feb. 3.