UC Riverside (6-11, 4-3 Big West) at
UC Irvine (16-2, 7-0 Big West)
Date: Thursday, Jan. 22
Time: 6 p.m. (PST)
Location: Bren Events Center (5,000) - Irvine, Calif.

UC San Diego (12-5, 7-0 Big West) at
UC Irvine (16-2, 7-0 Big West)
Date: Saturday, Jan. 24
Time: 2 p.m. (PST)
Location: Bren Events Center (5,000) - Irvine, Calif.

IRVINE, Calif. - UC Irvine women's basketball is back in the Bren Events Center as it closes out a four-game Big West homestand this week. On Thursday, Jan. 22, the Anteaters are slated to entertain UC Riverside at 6 p.m. UCI and UC San Diego, who are tied for first with identical 7-0 conference records, will then meet in a 2 p.m. showdown on Saturday, Jan. 24.
 
STARTING FIVE: STORYLINES
• UCI is on a program-record 15-game win streak. It is the third-longest active win streak in all of NCAA Division I, behind only defending national champion UConn (34) and Vanderbilt (19).

• The 'Eaters joined the 2022-23 squad as the only two teams in school history to go undefeated through their first seven conference games. At 16-2, they own the program's best overall record through 18 games.

• Seniors Hunter Hernandez and Jada Wynn have been a formidable duo all season long. They combined for 33 double-figure scoring games and 14 of the Anteaters' 15 20-point performances. Hernandez enters the week ranked second in the Big West and 30th in the nation with 19.2 points per game. Wynn is also eighth in the conference in scoring (15.7 ppg), sixth in rebounding (8.0 rpg), and third in assists (3.8 apg).

• Sophomore Lauryn Madsen has been a defensive sparkplug over the last three games where she is averaging 5.0 steals. Madsen recorded a career-high six steals at LBSU, before swiping five against Hawai'i and four vs. UC Davis.

• Thirteen of UC Irvine's 16 victories have been by a double-digit margin, while seven have come by 20+ points. In their wins this season, the 'Eaters have trailed for only 42:40 of 640 minutes played. 

SCHOOL RECORD STREAK
After a pair of road losses to drop to 1-2 in early November, UC Irvine has won a program-record 15 games in a row. The Anteaters' previous best was nine consecutive victories in 1976 and in 2022-23. During their current stretch, the 'Eaters are averaging 74.3 ppg, while owning a +19.5 scoring margin. 

SCOUTING THE HIGHLANDERS
UC Riverside (6-11, 4-3 Big West) split its two games last week, defeating Long Beach State, 77-59, before falling at Cal State Fullerton, 83-71. Hannah Wickstrom leads the Highlanders and the Big West in scoring at 21.4 points per outing. She is also tops on the squad in rebounding (6.9 rpg) and steals (2.7 spg), while Kaylani Polk has dished out a team-best 3.2 assists per contest.

SCOUTING THE TRITONS
UC San Diego (12-5, 7-0 Big West) extended its win streak to six and remained undefeated in conference play with convincing wins over CSUN (60-48) and Cal State Bakersfield (84-66) last week. Erin Condron leads the Tritons with 14.8 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks per game. Sabrina Ma (13.2 ppg) is UCSD's biggest threat from the perimeter where she has knocked down a conference-best 48 3-pointers, while Dymonique Maxie is also tops in the Big West with 4.3 assists per outing.

SERIES RECORDS
UC Irvine trails in its all-time series with UC Riverside, 42-31, but has won the last two. In this season's Big West opener on Dec. 4, 2025, the Anteaters toppled the Highlanders, 77-40, in Riverside. Hunter Hernandez had a game-high 16 points, while Jada Wynn notched a double-double with 15 points and 13 rebounds. Shirel Nahum and Ameerah Grant also finished with 11 points each. Lauryn Madsen, Reese Noa, and Haley Hernandez added eight points apiece. It was a career high for both Noa and Hernandez, who combined to go 5-for-7 from the field.

UCI has dominated its all-time series with UC San Diego, which it leads, 14-2. The 'Eaters swept the regular-season series last year, taking down the eventual Big West champion Tritons, 73-66, at home (Jan. 11, 2025), and 56-49 on the road (Feb. 8, 2025).

MID-MAJOR RANKINGS
UC Irvine moved up one spot to No. 12 in this week's College Insider Women's Mid-Major Poll. It is the Anteaters' highest ranking in program history. This is also the fifth-straight week the 'Eaters have been in the top-25.

DYNAMIC DUO
Seniors Hunter Hernandez and Jada Wynn have been the top duo in the Big West this year. Through seven conference games, Hernandez is second in the league in scoring (22.9 ppg), while Wynn is fourth (18.1 ppg). Wynn (7.9 rpg) and Hernandez (6.7 rpg) also rank fifth and 10th, respectively, in rebounding. In addition, Wynn is first in both 3-pointers made (3.1/gm) and 3FG percentage (50%), and sits among the top-four in assists (3.7 apg). Hernandez and Wynn have combined for 14 of the Anteaters' 15 20-point performances this season. They scored 20+ in the same game against Cal State Bakersfield (Jan. 1) and at LBSU (Jan. 8).

DEFEND THE BREN
Since 2017-18, UCI is 89-26 (.774) 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 9-0. Dating back to the 2024-25 season, they are winners of their last 13 at home. 

LAST TIME OUT
UC Irvine continued its dominant start to Big West play with a 73-42 victory over UC Davis last Saturday at the Bren Events Center. The Anteaters held the Aggies, who entered the game averaging 70.6 points and a conference-best 9.4 made threes per game, to a season-low 42 points and just two 3-pointers on 22 attempts (9.1%). The 'Eaters pulled away in the second half where they outscored UCD, 35-17. Jada Wynn led the charge with a game-high 24 points on 8-of-12 shooting. She buried a season-best five triples. Wynn added eight rebounds, three assists, and three steals. Hunter Hernandez recorded 19 points, four boards, and four assists. Summah Hanson also reached double figures in scoring with a season-high 10 points. Lauryn Madsen chipped in six points and four steals, while Reese Noa swiped three steals in four minutes.

WEEKLY AWARD REPEAT
Hunter Hernandez became the first Anteater in program history to win four Big West Player of the Week awards in a season when she earned the honor on Jan. 12. Hernandez's fourth recognition came after leading UCI to another 2-0 week with game-highs of 21 points at Long Beach State and 20 vs. Hawai'i. The 5-foot-9 guard previously claimed three consecutive player of the week nods from Dec. 8-22, 2025. Hernandez took home her first of the year following her first career 30-point game at CSUN (31). She was bestowed with the honor once again for a 27-point performance vs. CBU. Her 21st point against the Lancers was the 1,000th of her career. Hernandez made it three in a row after setting a career high for the second time in three weeks with 36 points in 34 minutes of a 93-72 victory at UTEP. She was 13-of-18 (72%) from the field, 4-for-5 (80%) from beyond the arc, and a perfect 6-of-6 at the free throw line against the Miners. Hernandez was the first individual to win three-straight Big West Women's Basketball Player of the Week awards since February 2017.

OFFENSE AND DEFENSE
UCI ranks first in the Big West in scoring offense (72.2 ppg) and scoring defense (56.3 ppg).The Anteaters have finished with 70+ points in 12 of their 18 games, while also holding their opponents to under 60 points on 12 occasions. The 'Eaters have been among the top defensive teams in the nation over the last few years as they were 10th in scoring defense 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. UCI recently moved into the top-25 in scoring defense for the 2025-26 season.

GETTING TO THE LINE
Through games of Jan. 19, UCI ranks fourth in all of NCAA Division I in free throw percentage (80.8%) and fifth in free throws made (18.5/gm). The Anteaters have five or fewer misses from the charity stripe in 13 of their 18 games. Individually, Hunter Hernandez is ninth in the nation in free throws made (98), and sits among the top-50 in FT percentage at 86%. Jada Wynn (85.3%), Shirel Nahum (84.1%), Ameerah Grant (83.7%), and Lauryn Madsen (80%) are also shooting 80% or better from the foul line. 

1,000 POINT CLUB
Senior Hunter Hernandez became the 16th member of UCI women's basketball's 1,000-point club on Dec. 13. Hernandez, who needed 21 points to reach the milestone, finished with a game-high 27 in a win over California Baptist. She has since moved up to eighth in program history with 1,168 career points. It is the second-straight season an Anteater hit the 1K benchmark.

SCORING SPREE
Since Dec. 6, Hunter Hernandez is averaging 24.4 points per contest, while shooting 45% from the field, 52% from distance, and 85% at the free throw line. During that nine-game stretch, the San Jose native has seven 20-point outings, including in five of the last six. In the non-conference finale at UTEP (Dec. 18), Hernandez went off for a career-high 36 points, which is tied for the fourth-highest individual scoring total in single-game school history. On the year, she leads the 'Eaters, is second in the Big West, and 30th in the nation with 19.2 ppg. Her 346 points are 247 shy of a 42-year-old single-season school record. Hernandez, who is UCI's only returning starter, is a two-time first-team All-Big West selection, and made the All-Freshman Team in 2021-22. She missed the 2023-24 season with a second ACL injury.

WYNN-ING MENTALITY
After averaging 3.5 points, 2.4 rebounds, and 1.1 assists at Texas Tech, graduate transfer Jada Wynn is putting up career numbers as an Anteater. She ranks second on the squad with 15.7 points per game, while leading the team in rebounding (8.0 rpg) and assists (3.8 apg). The 6-foot-1 guard has 16 double-figure scoring games, five 20-point performances, and five double-doubles, including three-straight from Dec. 4-13. During that stretch, she pulled down a career-high 13 rebounds at UC Riverside (Dec. 4). Three weeks ago, she also scored a career-best 25 points in a New Year's Day win over Cal State Bakersfield. Wynn is shooting 42% from the field, 43% from deep, and 85% at the free throw line. A local product from Yorba Linda, California, Wynn is the eldest daughter of UCI assistant coach Derek Wynn.

SHARPSHOOTER
Sophomore Lauryn Madsen is second on the squad and tied for fifth in the Big West with 40 made threes. On Dec. 16, she matched her career high with 15 points on a 5-of-8 performance from distance at New Mexico State. She previously went 5-for-9 for 15 points in a win over Bowling Green on Nov. 21. Madsen was the first Anteater to knock down five 3-pointers in a game since March 2, 2024. On the season, 40 of her 44 field goals and 124 of her 134 attempts have been from beyond the arc. In 40 career games played, Madsen has a triple in 30 of them, and drained multiple threes 13 times. This year, the 5-foot-11 guard is averaging 7.6 points, 3.2 rebounds, 1.6 assists, and 2.1 steals per contest. 

SUMMAH TIME
Junior Summah Hanson is averaging 6.4 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 1.1 blocks since making her season debut against California Baptist on Dec. 13. She has pulled down 5+ rebounds in seven of her eight appearances with a best of nine boards against Cal State Fullerton on Jan. 3. She is coming off a season-high 10 points in last Saturday's win over UC Davis. Hanson was named the 2024-25 Big West's Best Sixth Player. 

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 NAU as she finished with a career-high 23 points. Nahum has also settled in as a primary playmaker with 3+ assists in 11 of her 18 appearances. She dished out a career-best seven dimes in a win over Colgate on Nov. 29. On the season, Nahum is averaging 6.6 points, 3.1 rebounds, 2.9 assists, and 1.3 steals.

LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN
UCI has become a powerhouse in the Big West under 10th-year head coach Tamara Inoue. The Anteaters placed among the top-two in the conference in each of the last six years, including the first regular-season title in program history in 2022-23. Since 2020-21, UC Irvine has not lost more than five conference games in a season, combining for a league-leading 79-19 (.806) record during that stretch. The 'Eaters also advanced to the championship game of the Big West tournament three times in the last five years, winning it all in 2023-24.

20-20 VISION
The Anteaters are chasing their fifth-straight 20-win campaign. Over the last four years, the 'Eaters have averaged 22.5 victories per season, setting a school record with 25 in 2022-23.

UP NEXT
UC Irvine has a big road trip next week, traveling to Hawai'i for a 7 p.m. (HT)/9 p.m. (PT) conference showdown with the Rainbow Wahine on Thursday, Jan. 29.