UC Irvine (9-2) at
New Mexico State (3-6)
Date: Tuesday, Dec. 16
Time: 5 p.m. (PST)
Location: Pan American Center (12,572) - Las Cruces, N.M.

UC Irvine (9-2) at
UTEP (7-2)
Date: Thursday, Dec. 18
Time: 6 p.m. (PST)
Location: Don Haskins Center (12,000) - El Paso, Texas
Game Notes vs. UTEP

IRVINE, Calif. - UC Irvine women's basketball closes out non-conference action and the 2025 calendar year on the road, starting with a trip to New Mexico State for a 6 p.m. (MT)/5 p.m. (PT) showdown on Tuesday, Dec. 16. The Anteaters then make their way to UTEP where they are set to face the Miners at 7 p.m. (MT)/6 p.m. (PT) on Thursday, Dec. 18.
 
STARTING FIVE: STORYLINES
• Last Saturday, senior Hunter Hernandez became the 16th member of UCI's 1,000-point club. She finished with 27 points in a 77-57 win over California Baptist to give her 1,006 in her career. Hernandez, who also had a career-high 31 at CSUN on Dec. 6, is averaging a team-best 16.7 ppg.

• UC Irvine is 9-2 on the season, matching the program's best start through 11 games. The Anteaters also went 9-2 in 2018-19 and 1984-85.

• UCI is riding an eight-game win streak, which is tied for the third-longest in program history. During that stretch, the 'Eaters have been dominant, outscoring their opponents by 21.4 points per game. They have held a lead of at least 17 points in each of their last eight contests.

• In their nine wins, the Anteaters have led for 341 of 360 minutes played. They trailed in a win three times, falling behind Wichita State for 1:16 in the first quarter, and starting in a five-point hole at CSUN (4:22) and against California Baptist (3:40). The latter two games ended up being 20+ point victories for UCI.

• UC Irvine has flexed its defensive muscle lately, holding each of its last seven opponents to under 60 points. The 'Eaters lead the Big West in scoring defense (55.7 ppg) and field goal percentage defense (34.1%).

SCOUTING THE AGGIES
New Mexico State (3-6) picked up its second-straight win with a 76-44 victory over Western New Mexico on Sunday, Dec. 14. Forward Lucia Yenes leads the Aggies with 14.1 ppg on 44.7% shooting. Forward Morane Dossou is the team's top rebounder at 7.1 boards per outing.

A GLANCE AT THE MINERS
After starting the season at 7-0, UTEP suffered back-to-back losses in a couple tough road contests. The Miners fell at No. 8 TCU, 95-40, on Dec. 6, and at BYU, 81-46, this past Saturday, Dec. 13. Guard Ivane Tensaie leads the squad with 11.3 points per game, while forward Mary Moses Amaniyo is averaging a double-double at 10.2 points and 10.7 rebounds per contest.

SERIES RECORDS
UC Irvine trails in its all-time series with New Mexico State, 18-12. The teams split their last two meetings with the Anteaters defeating the Aggies, 61-55, in Las Cruces on Dec. 5, 2023, before falling, 57-49, in last year's season opener at home (Nov. 4, 2024).

UCI and UTEP are tied in their all-time series at two wins apiece. The Miners came out on top, 72-57, in the most recent meeting on Nov. 13, 2010, in El Paso.

COACHING CONNECTIONS
UC Irvine head coach Tamara Inoue and associate head coach Cecilia Russell-Nava were both members of the New Mexico State staff that led the Aggies to back-to-back WAC Championships in 2014-15 and 2015-16. UCI assistant coach Tyler Ellis was a player on those two NM State teams. Ellis graduated in 2017, while Russell-Nava is also a New Mexico State alum.

1,000 POINT CLUB
Senior Hunter Hernandez became the 16th member of UCI women's basketball's 1,000-point club last Saturday. Hernandez, who needed 21 points to reach the milestone, finished with a game-high 27 in a win over California Baptist to put her at 1,006 in her career. It is the second-straight season an Anteater hit the 1K benchmark as alum Déja Lee did it in 2024-25.

MID-MAJOR RANKINGS
UC Irvine was receiving votes in the latest College Insider Women's Mid-Major Poll released on Dec. 9. The Anteaters were one of two Big West schools featured in the RV section as they were joined by UC San Diego. Conference foe UC Santa Barbara also climbed to No. 13 in the rankings.

LAST TIME OUT
Hunter Hernandez scored her 1,000th career point in UC Irvine's 77-57 win over California Baptist last Saturday at the Bren Events Center. Hernandez, who entered the game needing 21 points to reach the milestone, led all players with 27. She recorded her 1,000th point at the free throw line with 6:12 remaining in the fourth quarter. Hernandez added four rebounds, four assists, and one steal with zero turnovers. Jada Wynn notched her third-straight double-double with 12 points and 11 rebounds. Wynn also dished out four assists. Lauryn Madsen had 12 points on four threes, while Summah Hanson tallied seven points and five boards in her season debut.

WIDE MARGIN
In its nine wins this season, UC Irvine has led for 341:11 of 360 minutes played. UCI trailed in only three of those games, falling behind for fewer than five minutes in the first quarter against Wichita State (1:16), at CSUN (4:22), and vs. California Baptist (3:40). Five of their nine victories have been by 20+ points as the 'Eaters own a +21.0 scoring margin in those contests. In games they have won, the Anteaters are shooting 39.7% from the field, 32.8% from distance, and 83.0% at the free throw line. They have also outrebounded their opponents, 368-314 (+6.0), and own a +6.2 turnover margin with 15+ turnovers forced in all nine games.

DEFENSIVE IDENTITY
UCI ended each of the last three seasons ranked among the top-15 in the nation in scoring defense. The Anteaters were 10th in 2024-25 (54.3 ppg), 14th in 2023-24 (55.7 ppg), and seventh in 2022-23 with a school-record 53.2 points allowed per game. After a slow start defensively this year where the 'Eaters gave up more than 60 points in three-straight games for the first time since January 2022, they have locked in, holding each of their last seven opponents to under 60 points. UC Irvine currently ranks first in the Big West in scoring defense (55.7 ppg).

BEST THINGS IN LIFE ARE FREE
As of Dec. 15, UC Irvine ranks first in the Big West and fifth in the nation in in free throw percentage (81.7%). The Anteaters have five or fewer misses from the charity stripe in eight of their 11 games. Individually, Hunter Hernandez (8th, 59) and Jada Wynn (13th, 54) are among the top-13 in the nation in free throws made. Three 'Eaters are also shooting over 80% with at least 10 attempts from the foul line - Hernandez (89.4%), Wynn (85.7%), and Shirel Nahum (84.4%).

DEFEND THE BREN
Since 2017-18, UCI is 85-26 (.766) at the Bren Events Center. Last year, the 'Eaters went 12-2 in Irvine, tying the single-season school record for home wins. This year, the Anteaters are 5-0 with a +18.6 scoring margin at the Bren. They have 10 more home games on their schedule.

FAMILY TIES
Senior Jada Wynn has returned home for the final season of her collegiate career. After spending the last two years at Texas Tech, the Yorba Linda native is back in Orange County to play in front of her family. One family member will be on the bench as Jada is the eldest daughter of UCI assistant coach Derek Wynn.

WYNN-ING MENTALITY
After averaging 3.5 points, 2.4 rebounds, and 1.1 assists at Texas Tech, Jada Wynn is putting up career numbers as an Anteater. She ranks second on the squad with 14.5 points per game, while leading the team in rebounding (9.5 rpg), assists (3.7 apg), and steals (1.6 spg). The 6-foot-1 guard owns nine double-figure scoring games and five double-doubles, including in each of her last three outings. The streak started with 15 points and a career-high 13 rebounds at UC Riverside. Two days later, Wynn put up 18 points and 12 boards at CSUN. Last Saturday, she also notched 12 points and 11 rebounds against CBU. Wynn has pulled down at least six boards in all 11 outings, while dishing out 6+ assists on four occasions.  

TAKING CHARGE
Fifth-year senior Hunter Hernandez is tops on the squad with 16.7 points per contest, and she ranks second in rebounding (5.5 rpg). The 5-foot-9 guard is averaging 29.0 points in the last two games as she dropped a career-high 31 at CSUN on Dec. 6, and finished with 27 vs. California Baptist on Dec. 13. Hernandez was recognized for her effort against the Matadors with her third career Big West Player of the Week award, while her 21st point against the Lancers was the 1,000th point of her career. Hernandez, who is UCI's only returning starter from last year, has 51 career double-figure scoring games including nine 20+ point performances. She is a two-time first-team All-Big West selection (2024-25 and 2022-23), and made the All-Freshman Team in 2021-22. Hernandez missed the 2023-24 season recovering from a second ACL injury.

ON POINT
Junior Shirel Nahum has taken on the starting point guard role after the graduation of two-time first-team All-Big West selection and 2023-24 Big West Player of the Year Déja Lee. Nahum had a breakout performance in a 90-75 win over Northern Arizona as she finished with a career-high 23 points (3-6 3FG, 8-8 FT). Over the last six games, Nahum has settled in as a primary playmaker with 20 assists against nine turnovers. She dished out a career-best seven dimes in a win over Colgate on Nov. 29. On the season, Nahum is averaging 7.8 points, 3.7 rebounds, 2.7 assists, and 1.4 steals per outing.

SHARPSHOOTER
Sophomore Lauryn Madsen registered a career-high 15 points on a 5-of-9 performance from beyond the arc in a win over Bowling Green on Nov. 21. Madsen was the first Anteater to knock down five threes in a game since March 2, 2024. The Warden, Washington, native also buried four triples against Wichita State (14 points), CBU (12 points), San Diego (12 points), and Idaho State (12 points). Madsen is tops on the squad in threes made (27) and threes attempted (81). Only three of her 30 field goals and eight of her 81 attempts have been from inside the arc this season. In 33 career games played, Madsen has a triple in 23 of them, and drained multiple treys nine times. For the season, the 5-foot-11 guard is averaging 8.4 points, 3.6 rebounds, 1.6 assists, and 1.5 steals per contest. 

STATEMENT DEBUT
Freshman Nohe'alani Stores, who has reached double figures in scoring on five occasions, ranks fifth on the team with 7.5 points per game, and is tops on the squad in field goal percentage (63.3%). In her collegiate debut against San Diego, the 6-foot-2 forward tied for the team lead with a season-high 17 points (7-8 FG). Stores reached double figures again in wins over NAU (14), Bowling Green (13), Colgate (11), and St. Thomas (10). She also had a season-best nine rebounds at Idaho State. 

FRENCH CONNECTION
Sophomore Naomy Zonzon-Huyghe (La Roche-sur-Yon, France) is in her first season at UCI, making it the fourth year in a row the Anteaters have a native of France on their roster. Zonzon-Huyghe has reached double figures in scoring in two of her last four outings, finishing with a season-best 13 points (5-7 FG, 3-4 3FG) against Colgate and 10 (5-8 FG) at CSUN. The 5-foot-9 guard has been efficient all season long, shooting 58.3% (28-48) overall and 38.9% (7-18) from distance. Zonzon-Huyghe came to Irvine after an impressive year at Arizona Western College where she was an NJCAA second-team All-American.

SUMMAH TIME
Junior Summah Hanson made her season debut against California Baptist on Dec. 13. Last year, which was her first at UCI, Hanson was named the Big West Best Sixth Player. She appeared in all 31 games, averaging 8.6 points and 5.4 rebounds in 18.7 minutes per outing. The 6-foot-3 forward also led the Anteaters in free throw percentage (89.7%), and took home UC Irvine's lone Big West Player of the Week award in 2024-25.

THE GOAT
Tamara Inoue has cemented her legacy as the most accomplished head coach in program history. On Feb. 27, 2025, Inoue earned her 159th career victory to surpass Dean Andrea (1979-1991) as UCI's all-time winningest head coach. Inoue owns a 170-118 career record in her nine-plus seasons at the helm. She has led UC Irvine to a pair of Big West Championships, four of the Anteaters' five national postseason appearances, their first victory in a national postseason tournament (WNIT), five of their seven 20-win campaigns, and single-season school records in both overall (25) and conference (16) wins.

UP NEXT
UC Irvine will return to action in 2026 when it hosts Cal State Bakersfield in its Big West home opener on New Year's Day.