FULLERTON, Calif. – UC Irvine women's basketball won its third-straight game, defeating Cal State Fullerton, 79-63, Thursday evening at Titan Gym.
 
The Anteaters (11-5, 5-1 Big West) pulled away in the third quarter where they outscored the Titans, 25-9. They went up by as many as 31 in the fourth before CSF used a late 14-0 rally to close the gap to 16 with just over two minutes to play.
 
The 'Eaters had their best offensive output of the year, setting season highs in points (79), field goal percentage (46.9%), free throws made (25) and free throws attempted (29).
 
BY THE NUMBERS: Junior Hunter Hernandez recorded a team-high 16 points (6-10 FG) and six rebounds in 22 minutes played. Senior Déja Lee went 11-for-13 from the free throw line and finished with 15 points. Senior Nikki Tom also reached double figures in scoring with 10 points (7-8 FT).
 
Sophomore Summah Hanson and redshirt freshman Daniela Falcón Hernández added nine points each. It was a season high for Falcón Hernández. Senior Nevaeh Dean matched Hunter Hernandez with six boards, while contributing a game-high three steals and two blocks.
 
UCI was able to turn its defense into offense with 24 points off 17 forced turnovers.
 
The Titans shot 35.6% (21-59) overall, 42.9% (6-14) from distance and 75% (15-20) at the charity stripe. Aaliyah Stanton led the way with a game-high 17 points.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED: Cal State Fullerton (2-15, 0-7 Big West) struck first but Lee answered with an and-one to start a 12-2 UC Irvine run. The Titans chipped away with six-straight points, including four from the free throw line, to cut their deficit to 12-10 with 3:16 remaining. Hernandez then knocked down a deep three and the Anteaters closed the first quarter on a 7-1 spurt to pull ahead, 19-11.
 
Back-to-back buckets from Eva Levingston early in the second period brought CSF within four at the 6:51 mark. The 'Eaters then outscored the Titans, 14-6, over the next five-plus minutes to take their largest advantage of the half at 35-23. Cal State Fullerton was able to keep it to single digits at the break as it knocked down a triple with five seconds on the clock to make it 36-28.
 
Hernandez scored the first seven points of the third frame, and after CSF finally got on the board, Tom connected from beyond the arc to put UCI on top, 46-30, at the 7:10 mark. UC Irvine continued to roll, going up 61-37 by the end of the quarter.
 
Lauryn Madsen and Olivia Williams each buried their second three of the game in the first two minutes of the fourth period to increase the Anteaters' margin to 30. Cal State Fullerton came alive midway through the quarter with a 14-0 rally closing the gap to 73-57 with 2:24 left, but it was too little, too late as UCI emerged with the 79-63 victory.
 
UP NEXT: UC Irvine heads to San Luis Obispo for a Saturday (Jan. 18) showdown at Cal Poly. Tip-off is set for 2 p.m. at Mott Athletics Center.
 
NOTES
• For the second-straight game, UC Irvine set a season high in points scored after finishing with 73 vs. UC San Diego last week.
• The Anteaters have won each of their last three games against Cal State Fullerton by 16+ points.
• UCI is tied for second in the Big West standings at 5-1, sitting a half-game back of UC Davis (6-1).
• Hunter Hernandez had her fifth-consecutive double-figure scoring game.
• Déja Lee has also scored 10+ points in four-straight outings.
• Reese Noa's first collegiate points came on a jumper with 59 seconds left in the game.
• Daniela Falcón Hernández made her first career 3-pointer.