UC Irvine (17-3, 8-1 Big West) at
Hawai'i (10-9, 4-5 Big West)
Date: Thursday, Jan. 29
Time: 7 p.m. (HT) / 9 p.m. (PST)
Location: Bankoh Arena at Stan Sheriff Center (10,300) - Honolulu, Hawai'i

IRVINE, Calif. - UC Irvine women's basketball is on the road for the first time in three weeks when it makes the trek to Honolulu for a Big West showdown at Hawai'i on Thursday, Jan. 29. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. (HT)/9 p.m. (PT) at Bankoh Arena at Stan Sheriff Center.
 
STARTING FIVE: STORYLINES
• The Anteaters saw their program-record 16-game win streak come to an end last week, dropping a 68-66 nailbiter to UC San Diego on Saturday, Jan. 24. It went down to the wire as the 'Eaters had a chance to win it in the final seconds, but Jada Wynn's 3-point attempt was just long. It was UCI's first loss since Nov. 12, 2025, and its first home loss since Feb. 15, 2025, which came against Hawai'i. UC Irvine's 16-game win streak is tied for the fifth-longest in all of NCAA Division I women's basketball this season (as of Jan. 27).

• At 17-3 overall, the 'Eaters have their best 20-game record in program history. They have continued an impressive run in conference as they are 8-1 for the second time in the last four years, and sit in a tie for first. Since 2020-21, UC Irvine has not lost more than five games in Big West regular season play, combining for a league-leading 80-20 (.800) record during that stretch.

• Seniors Hunter Hernandez and Jada Wynn have been a formidable duo all season long. They have combined for 694 points with 36 double-figure scoring games, 15 of the Anteaters' 16 20-point performances, and all seven of their double-doubles. Hernandez enters the week ranked second in the Big West and 26th in the nation with 19.3 ppg. Wynn is also eighth in the conference in scoring (15.5 ppg), sixth in rebounding (7.8 rpg), and third in assists (4.0 apg), 3FG made (2.5/gm), and 3FG percentage (42.7%). Hernandez has won four Big West Player of the Week awards this season, while Wynn was recently named to the Becky Hammon Mid-Major Player of the Year midseason watch list.

• Junior Summah Hanson has started all 10 games since making her season debut on Dec. 13. She has eight outings with 5+ rebounds and swatted two blocks on four occasions. Hanson is also finding her offensive rhythm, averaging 12.0 points over the last three contests. Since Jan. 17, she is shooting 61% (11-18) from the field, 75% (6-8) from deep, and 100% (8-8) at the free throw line. On the year, Hanson is averaging 7.7 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 1.1 blocks.

• With a win on Thursday, UC Irvine would secure its third regular-season series sweep over the Rainbow Wahine (since UH rejoined the Big West in 2012-13), and its first in three years. Hawai'i, which swept the Anteaters in 2024 and 2025, is the only Big West program to go 2-0 against the 'Eaters during the regular season since 2020-21.

SCOUTING THE RAINBOW WAHINE
After dropping to 0-5 in conference with a 50-47 loss at UC Irvine on Jan. 10, Hawai'i (10-9, 4-5 Big West) has bounced back with four-straight wins. Last week, the Rainbow Wahine picked up two road victories, defeating Cal State Bakersfield, 64-52, and CSUN, 64-55. Freshman Bailey Flavell leads the 'Bows in scoring at 14.0 points per outing. Freshman Keiara Curtis is also averaging 9.5 ppg, while knocking down a team-best 27 threes at a 42.9% clip. Senior forward Imani Perez has added 7.4 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 1.9 blocks per contest.

SERIES RECORD
UC Irvine trails in its all-time series with Hawai'i, 39-16. The Anteaters snapped a four-game skid against the 'Bows with a 50-47 victory at the Bren Events Center three weeks ago (Jan. 10). Hunter Hernandez led the 'Eaters with a game-high 20 points, while Jada Wynn added 15 points, eight rebounds, and five assists. Bailey Flavell paced the Rainbow Wahine with 13 points and six assists. UCI's 50 points were the team's highest scoring output against UH since Feb. 25, 2023.

ALL GOOD THINGS COME TO AN END
After a pair of road losses to drop to 1-2 on Nov. 12, UC Irvine reeled off a program-record 16 wins in a row. It was the third-longest active win streak heading into last Saturday's loss, while it is tied for the fifth-longest in all of NCAA Division I women's basketball this season (as of Jan. 27). The Anteaters nearly doubled their previous best of nine consecutive victories in 1976 and in 2022-23. During their streak from Nov. 15 through Jan. 22, the 'Eaters averaged 74.3 ppg and owned a +18.7 scoring margin. 

MID-MAJOR RANKINGS
UC Irvine dropped to No. 15 in this week's College Insider Women's Mid-Major Poll. This is the sixth-straight week the 'Eaters have been in the top-25. On Jan. 20, the Anteaters earned their highest mid-major ranking in program history at No. 12.

LAST TIME OUT
It went down to the wire, but for the first time since November, UC Irvine fell short as it dropped a 68-66 decision to UC San Diego last Saturday at the Bren Events Center. The Anteaters' first Big West loss and first home loss of the season snapped a school-record 16-game win streak. It was almost a different story as the 'Eaters clawed their way back from a 10-point fourth-quarter deficit for a chance to win it at the buzzer. UCI closed to within one at 65-64 on a three from Summah Hanson at the 1:57 mark. The Tritons pulled back ahead by four before a Hunter Hernandez layup with 19.4 seconds left cut that lead in half. UCSD then made a bad pass on the inbound and Jada Wynn came up with the steal. After calling a timeout to draw up their final play with 12 ticks on the clock, it was Wynn who got a good look from beyond the arc, but her shot was just long. Hernandez recorded her third double-double of the season with a team-best 19 points and 10 rebounds. Hanson also finished with a season-high 18 points on 6-of-9 shooting (2-2 3FG), to go along with seven boards. Wynn added nine points, five rebounds, five assists, and five steals.

BIG WEST DOMINANCE
In their 8-0 start to Big West play, the 'Eaters were dominant with a +19.3 scoring margin. They held a lead of 20 or more in six of those games and ended up winning two of them by 30+ with a 77-40 victory at UC Riverside in the conference opener on Dec. 4, 2025, and a 73-42 rout of UC Davis on Jan. 17. Last Saturday was the first time UC Irvine trailed by double digits in a Big West game this season, falling behind UC San Diego by 10 with 9:46 remaining in the fourth quarter.

DYNAMIC DUO
Seniors Hunter Hernandez and Jada Wynn have been the top duo in the Big West this year. Through nine conference games, Hernandez is second in the league in scoring (22.1 ppg), while Wynn is fifth (17.1 ppg). Wynn (7.4 rpg) and Hernandez (7.1 rpg) also rank among the top-10 in rebounding. In addition, Wynn is first in 3-pointers made (3.0/gm) and in 3FG percentage (48%), while sitting third in assists (4.1 apg). Hernandez and Wynn have combined for 15 of the Anteaters' 16 20-point performances this season. They scored 20+ in the same game against Cal State Bakersfield (Jan. 1) and at LBSU (Jan. 8).

ELITE COMPANY
On Dec. 13, Hunter Hernandez became the 16th member of UCI women's basketball's 1,000-point club. 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 seventh in program history with 1,207 career points. On Jan. 22, the San Jose native also pulled down her 500th career rebound, making her the 11th Anteater to join the exclusive 1,000-point/500-rebound club.

OFFENSE AND DEFENSE
UCI ranks first in the Big West in scoring defense (57.5 ppg), and second in scoring offense (72.0 ppg). The Anteaters have finished with 70+ points in 13 of their 20 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 currently ranks 38th for the 2025-26 season.

GETTING TO THE LINE
Through games of Jan. 26, UC Irvine ranks fourth in all of NCAA Division I in free throw percentage (80.6%), and fifth in free throws made (18.1/gm). The Anteaters have five or fewer misses from the charity stripe in 15 of their 20 games. Individually, Hunter Hernandez is 10th in the nation in free throws made (106). Six 'Eaters are shooting 80% or better at the foul line, led by Jada Wynn at 85% (91-107).

SCORING SPREE
Since Dec. 6, Hunter Hernandez is averaging 23.5 points per contest, while shooting 45% from the field, 49% from distance, and 81% at the free throw line. During that 11-game stretch, she has eight 20-point outings, including in six of the last eight. 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 26th in the nation with 19.3 ppg. With 11 regular-season games remaining, she already has a single-season career-high 385 points. She is 208 shy of the school record set by Cheri Graham (593) in 1983-84. 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.

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 with game-highs of 21 points at LBSU 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.

WYNN-ING MENTALITY
After averaging 3.5 points, 2.4 rebounds, and 1.1 assists at Texas Tech, senior transfer Jada Wynn is putting up career numbers as an Anteater. She ranks second on the squad with 15.5 points per game, while leading the team in rebounding (7.8 rpg), assists (4.0 apg), and 3FG made (50). The 6-foot-1 guard has 17 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). In a New Year's Day win over Cal State Bakersfield, she also scored a career-best 25 points. On the year, Wynn is shooting 40% 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.

SUMMAH TIME
Junior Summah Hanson is averaging 7.7 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 1.1 blocks since making her season debut against California Baptist on Dec. 13. The 6-foot-3 forward, who missed the first 10 games with an injury, has pulled down 5+ rebounds in eight of her 10 appearances with a best of nine boards against Cal State Fullerton on Jan. 3. She has found her offensive rhythm over the last few games where she is averaging 12.0 points on 61% shooting, including 75% from deep, and a perfect 8-of-8 at the free throw line. She had a season-high 18 points vs. UC San Diego on Jan. 24. Hanson was named the 2024-25 Big West's Best Sixth Player. 

SHARPSHOOTER
Sophomore Lauryn Madsen is second on the squad and tied for fifth in the Big West with 43 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, 43 of her 47 field goals and 135 of her 145 attempts have been from beyond the arc. Over the last six games, all eight of her field goals were 3-pointers. In 42 career games played, Madsen has a triple in 32 of them, and drained multiple threes 14 times. This year, the 5-foot-11 guard is averaging 7.3 points, 3.2 rebounds, 1.5 assists, and a team-best 2.1 steals per contest. 

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 13 of her 20 appearances. She dished out a career-best seven dimes in a win over Colgate on Nov. 29. On the season, Nahum is averaging 6.4 points, 3.3 rebounds, 3.0 assists, and 1.2 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 80-20 (.800) 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, and set a school record with 25 in 2022-23.

UP NEXT
After its second and final bye of the regular season on Saturday, UC Irvine hits the road again, traveling to Cal State Bakersfield for a 6:30 p.m. game next Thursday, Feb. 5.