DAVIS, Calif. – Senior Déja Lee reached a significant milestone in UC Irvine's 52-49 road win over UC Davis Saturday at University Credit Union Center.
 
Lee scored her 1,000th career point on a clutch free throw with 17 seconds left in the game. Lee joins elite company as she is only the 15th member of UCI women's basketball's 1,000-point club.
 
The Anteaters (15-6, 9-2 Big West) closed out an unbeaten week with wins against two of the top four teams in The Big West standings to remain in a tie for first with Hawai'i.
 
Back-to-back 3-pointers from Hunter Hernandez to start the fourth quarter gave the 'Eaters a 47-40 lead with 3:14 remaining. The Aggies chipped away, cutting their deficit to two before Lee's free throws put UCI on top, 51-47.

UCD (13-8, 7-4 Big West) got a second-chance layup with one second left. Hernandez then converted 1-of-2 foul shots on the other end, giving the home team one more opportunity with 0.7 ticks on the clock, but their 3-point attempt was off the mark.
 
BY THE NUMBERS: Junior Hunter Hernandez led the Anteaters with a team-high 13 points. Sophomore Summah Hanson also finished with nine points and a game-high tying nine rebounds. Senior Déja Lee added eight points and two assists, while senior Nikki Tom had six points, five boards and two assists.
 
Both teams shot under 30% from the field and finished with 43 rebounds. The 'Eaters committed a season-low seven turnovers.
 
Megan Norris paced UC Davis with 16 points and nine boards.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED: UC Irvine struck first with a jumper from Lee on the opening possession, but UC Davis proceeded to outscore the Anteaters 17-6 over the next six minutes to take a nine-point lead. The 'Eaters ended the first quarter with four unanswered to close the gap to 17-12.
 
Hanson opened the second period by banking in a hail mary three to beat the shot clock. The Aggies punched back, increasing their margin to seven before UCI went on a 13-5 run, capped by a jumper from Tom at the buzzer, to give the visitors a 30-29 edge at the half. It was UC Irvine's first lead since the 7:17 mark of the first quarter.
 
The Anteaters started the third frame with a 6-0 rally to pull ahead, 36-29, at the 7:13 mark. UC Davis responded with eight unanswered to reclaim a 38-36 advantage. Lauryn Madsen then buried a triple and Hanson closed the quarter with a layup to put the 'Eaters on top, 41-38.
 
UCI would not relinquish the lead in the fourth period. UC Irvine went up 47-40 with just over three minutes remaining after Hernandez's second 3-pointer of the quarter. UCD cut the deficit to two twice, with the last coming with one second on the clock. After Hernandez made 1-of-2 at the line, the Aggies got one more look but Norris' three was off the mark for the 52-49 Anteater victory.
 
UP NEXT: UC Irvine has one game next week, traveling to UC San Diego for a 2 p.m. Big West showdown on Saturday, Feb. 8.
 
NOTES
• UCI earned its first road win against UC Davis since March 8, 2014.
• The Anteaters have won three in a row in their all-time series with the Aggies.
• UC Irvine has now held six different Big West opponents to under 50 points.
• Nikki Tom moved into a tie for fourth in school history with her 186th career steal.
• Hunter Hernandez had her team-leading 15th double-figure scoring game.