Sunday, November 15
Cheney, Wash.
2:00 PM
UC Irvine
at
Eastern Washington
Photo by: Jake Hamlin
November 14, 2026 | Women's Basketball
UC Irvine (1-1) at
Eastern Washington (2-2)
Date:Â Sunday, Nov. 15
Time:Â 2 p.m. (PST)
Location:Â Reese Court (5,000) - Cheney, Wash.
Watch on ESPN+ | Live Stats
IRVINE, Calif. -Â UC Irvine women's basketball closes out its season-opening three-game road stretch at Eastern Washington on Sunday, Nov. 15. Tip-off is set for 2 p.m. at Reese Court.
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STARTING FIVE: STORYLINES
• UCI found a way to get it done down the stretch, defeating Northern Arizona, 76-74, this past Tuesday (Nov. 10) in Flagstaff. Nohe'alani Stores had a crucial offensive rebound and putback to give the 'Eaters a two-point lead with 31 seconds on the clock, and Ahrray Young knocked down a couple free throws with time winding down to give UC Irvine its first win of the season. Young finished with a career-high 23 points. Gracie Gallegos added a double-double (17 points/11 rebounds), and Stores had 14 points.
• The Anteaters opened the campaign on the road for just the second time in 12 years. It is also the first time since 2011-12 that they will play three games before their home opener.
• The 'Eaters are coming off one of their best seasons in program history. In 2025-26, they produced their fifth-straight 20-win campaign, claimed a share of their second Big West regular season title, and earned an automatic bid to the WBIT for their fourth national postseason appearance in five years. UCI set school records in both overall (26) and conference (17) victories, while also winning a program-best 16 games in a row, shattering the previous high of nine. Â
• UC Irvine welcomes back eight letterwinners, including three starters from last year's squad. Junior guard Lauryn Madsen ended the 2025-26 campaign among the Anteaters' top-five single-season leaders in 3-pointers made (3rd, 70) and steals (T-5th, 71). Senior point guard Shirel Nahum also ranked second on the team in assists (3.0 apg) and third in scoring (7.3 ppg), while senior forward Summah Hanson averaged 6.6 points and 6.0 rebounds per outing.
• UCI lost two key members of last year's squad with the graduation of first-team all-conference selections Hunter Hernandez (19.8 ppg) and Jada Wynn (15.0 ppg). Hernandez, who broke the single-season school record with 655 points, was also named the Big West Player of the Year. It will take a collective team effort to fill their shoes as the 'Eaters have reloaded with four NCAA Division I transfers - Ahrray Young (Nevada), Gracie Gallegos (UC San Diego), Makiah Asidanya (UNCG), and Sarah Miller (Penn).
SCOUTING THE EAGLES
Eastern Washington is 2-2 on the season with both of its wins coming at home. Junior forward Jaecy Eggers, who was named the Big Sky Player of the Week on Nov. 10, leads the Eagles with 19.3 points, 10.0 rebounds, and 2.3 blocks per outing. Sophomore guard Elyn Bowers is also averaging 17.0 ppg after dropping a career-high 30 in a win over UC Davis. Junior forward Kourtney Grossman has put up 10.5 points and 11.0 rebounds per contest, but has missed the last two games.
SERIES RECORD
UC Irvine leads in its all-time series with Eastern Washington, 6-4. The Anteaters have won the last two with back-to-back victories in 2022 and 2023. UCI defeated the Eagles on the road, 67-65, on Dec. 1, 2022, and 71-63 in Irvine on Nov. 20, 2023.
MID-MAJOR RANKINGS
UC Irvine was receiving votes in the latest College Insider Women's Mid-Major rankings released on Nov. 10. The Anteaters dropped out of the top 25 after coming in at No. 22 in the preseason poll. Last year, the 'Eaters had a streak of 12 consecutive weeks in the top 25 (Dec. 23-March 10). On Jan. 20, 2026, they earned their highest mid-major ranking in program history at No. 12.Â
LAST TIME OUT
Ahrray Young had a career-high 23 points and Gracie Gallegos had a double-double to lead UC Irvine to a 76-74 victory at Northern Arizona on Tuesday, Nov. 10. Young's final two points gave the Anteaters their first win of the season. With the score knotted at 74-all, Young drove to the basket and drew the foul with 7.8 seconds on the clock. She calmly knocked down both free throws and UCI got the stop on the other end to win a back-and-forth affair that saw 10 ties and 10 lead changes. Young went 8-for-15 from the field, 3-for-4 from beyond the arc, and 4-of-5 at the charity stripe. She added six rebounds and two assists. Gallegos totaled 17 points and a game-high 11 rebounds. Nohe'alani Stores also had a productive 18 minutes on the court, finishing with 14 points (5-8 FG) and five boards. Stores came up big down the stretch with a putback giving UC Irvine a 74-72 lead.
20-20 VISION
UC Irvine had two 20-win campaigns in 42 years before head coach Tamara Inoue took the helm in 2016-17. Twenty wins are now the standard with the Anteaters reaching the benchmark six times in 10 seasons, including in each of the last five. Last year, UCI recorded its 20th victory on Feb. 12 as a 16-game win streak propelled the 'Eaters to a 20-4 record, marking their fastest run to 20 in program history. They went on to close out the season at 26-7, breaking the school record of 25 wins that was also set by an Inoue squad in 2022-23.
LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN
In the last four seasons, the Anteaters have won three Big West titles, claiming the Big West Championship crown in 2023-24, and finishing atop the regular season standings in 2022-23 and 2025-26. The 'Eaters have a seven-year streak of placing among the top-two in the conference. Since 2020-21, UC Irvine has not lost more than five Big West games in a regular season, combining for a league-leading 89-22 (.802) record during that stretch.Â
FROM THE LINE
In 2025-26, the 'Eaters made 566 free throws on 702 attempts. Their 80.6 free throw percentage was a single-season school record and ranked third in all of NCAA Division I behind only Rice (81.9%) and Illinois (81.5%). Six Anteaters finished the year shooting over 80% at the charity stripe including returners Ameerah Grant (83.6%), Lauryn Madsen (83.3%), Shirel Nahum (82.8%), and Summah Hanson (81.0%). In its 2026-27 season opener on Nov. 5, UCI picked up right where it left off, going 11-for-13 from the foul line at UCLA. On Tuesday, UC Irvine had an off night, finishing with a 63.0 free throw percentage (17-27). It ended a streak of nine consecutive outings above 70%.
DEFENSIVE IDENTITY
UC Irvine ranked among the top-15 in all of NCAA Division I in scoring defense for three-straight seasons (2022-25), before finishing the 2025-26 campaign at No. 30. The 'Eaters were also 13th in FG% defense a year ago, and fifth in 2024-25. In 2022-23, UCI's school-record 53.2 points allowed per game ranked seventh in the nation. With seven newcomers this year, the Anteaters are still finding their chemistry as they gave up 78 points at No. 11 UCLA and 74 in a win at NAU. It is the first time they allowed 70+ points in back-to-back games since December 2021.
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DOUBLED DOWN
An Anteater has recorded a double-double in each of the first two games. In her UCI debut, senior transfer Ahrray Young finished with 10 points and a game-high 10 rebounds at defending national champion and 11th-ranked UCLA. The 5-foot-11 guard was the first 'Eater with a double-double in the season-opener since Sabrina Englestad (18 points/12 rebounds) on Nov. 7, 2018. Senior transfer Gracie Gallegos also put up 17 points and 11 boards in a 76-74 win at Northern Arizona on Nov. 10.
EARLY LEADER
Through the first two games of the season, Ahrray Young leads UC Irvine in scoring (16.5 ppg) and rebounding (8.0 rpg). After finishing with 10 points and 10 boards at No. 11 UCLA, Young dropped a career-high 23 points, including the game-winning free throws, in a 76-74 victory at Northern Arizona. She is shooting 42.3% (11-26) from the field, 57.1% (4-7) from beyond the arc, and 87.5% (7-8) at the free throw line.
MORE IN STORE
Sophomore Nohe'alani Stores was named to the 2025-26 Big West All-Freshman Team after averaging 5.7 points and 3.4 rebounds in 32 games played. She led the Anteaters in field goal percentage at 55.7%. Stores reached double figures in scoring on six occasions, including in the opener against San Diego (Nov. 5, 2025), when she notched a career-high 17 points on 7-of-8 shooting. The 6-foot-2 forward is coming off her first double-digit performance of the 2026-27 season as she finished with 14 points in 18 minutes at Northern Arizona on Nov. 10. She went 5-for-8 from the field, while adding five rebounds.
FIRST IMPRESSION
Freshman Delaney White had an impressive collegiate debut, coming off the bench to put up a team-high 12 points and three steals at UCLA. She also had five points and two steals in 13 minutes at NAU. White is tied for second on the team with 8.5 ppg, and leads the 'Eaters with 2.5 steals per outing.
ON POINT
Last season, senior Shirel Nahum took 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 an impressive campaign, averaging 7.3 points, 3.4 rebounds, 3.0 assists, and 1.1 steals per outing. She had a breakout performance in a 90-75 win over NAU as she finished with a career-high 23 points (Nov. 15, 2025). She reached double digits in scoring 10 times, while also settling in as a primary playmaker with 3+ assists on 21 occasions. She dished out a career-best seven dimes in a win over Colgate on Nov. 29, 2025.Â
SHARPSHOOTER
Junior Lauryn Madsen ranked second on the squad, and third in single-season school history with 70 made threes last year. She buried five 3-pointers for a career-high 15 points on five occasions. In 57 career games played, Madsen has a triple in 43 of them, and drained multiple threes 20 times. In 2025-26, the 5-foot-11 guard averaged 7.0 points, 2.9 rebounds, 1.3 assists, and 2.2 steals per contest. Defensively, Madsen led the 'Eaters with 71 steals, which tied for fifth in single-season school history. She recorded multiple takeaways 20 times and swiped 4+ on six occasions with a career-high six at LBSU on Jan. 8.
SUMMAH TIME
Senior Summah Hanson averaged 6.6 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 1.0 blocks in 22 games played last season. The 6-foot-3 forward, who missed the first 10 contests recovering from an offseason injury, pulled down 5+ rebounds in 16 of her 22 appearances. The Brisbane, Australia, native had two double-doubles on the year with 12 points and a season-best 13 boards against UC Santa Barbara, and 13 points/11 rebounds vs. CSUN. She also notched a season-high 18 points against UC San Diego.
THE GOAT
Tamara Inoue is the most decorated head coach in program history. She is the Anteaters' only two-time Big West Coach of the Year, while her teams captured both of UCI's Big West regular-season titles. In 2023-24, she also guided the 'Eaters to their first Big West Championship and NCAA tournament appearance in 29 years. Inoue is UC Irvine women's basketball's all-time winningest head coach. On Feb. 27, 2025, she earned her 159th career victory to surpass Dean Andrea (1979-1991). Now in her 11th season, Inoue owns a 188-124 career record. Her .603 win percentage is the best among UCI's head coaches who were at the helm for more than 30 games. Her teams have twice broken the school record in wins with 25 in 2022-23 and 26 in 2025-26. In addition, Inoue has led the Anteaters to five of their six national postseason berths, their first victory in a national postseason tournament (2023 WNIT), and six of their eight 20-win campaigns.
SIGNING DAY
UC Irvine signed Tiera "Tee" McCarthy and Ella Mims for the 2027-28 season. McCarthy has helped Archbishop Mitty High School to three-straight CIF NorCal, Central Coast Section, and West Catholic Athletic League titles. The 5-foot-7 point guard was a first-team all-league and San Jose Mercury News All-Bay Area selection. Mims led Saint Joseph High School to the Del Rey League title with a perfect 8-0 record in 2025-26. The 6-foot-4 post player was named to the Press Telegram Girls' Basketball Dream Team and made the Prep Girls Hoops Stock Riser list in August.
UP NEXT
UC Irvine will host Idaho State in its home opener on Wednesday, Nov. 18. The Anteaters will unveil their 2025-26 Big West Championship banner prior to the 6 p.m. tip-off at the Bren Events Center.
Eastern Washington (2-2)
Date:Â Sunday, Nov. 15
Time:Â 2 p.m. (PST)
Location:Â Reese Court (5,000) - Cheney, Wash.
Watch on ESPN+ | Live Stats
IRVINE, Calif. -Â UC Irvine women's basketball closes out its season-opening three-game road stretch at Eastern Washington on Sunday, Nov. 15. Tip-off is set for 2 p.m. at Reese Court.
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STARTING FIVE: STORYLINES
• UCI found a way to get it done down the stretch, defeating Northern Arizona, 76-74, this past Tuesday (Nov. 10) in Flagstaff. Nohe'alani Stores had a crucial offensive rebound and putback to give the 'Eaters a two-point lead with 31 seconds on the clock, and Ahrray Young knocked down a couple free throws with time winding down to give UC Irvine its first win of the season. Young finished with a career-high 23 points. Gracie Gallegos added a double-double (17 points/11 rebounds), and Stores had 14 points.
• The Anteaters opened the campaign on the road for just the second time in 12 years. It is also the first time since 2011-12 that they will play three games before their home opener.
• The 'Eaters are coming off one of their best seasons in program history. In 2025-26, they produced their fifth-straight 20-win campaign, claimed a share of their second Big West regular season title, and earned an automatic bid to the WBIT for their fourth national postseason appearance in five years. UCI set school records in both overall (26) and conference (17) victories, while also winning a program-best 16 games in a row, shattering the previous high of nine. Â
• UC Irvine welcomes back eight letterwinners, including three starters from last year's squad. Junior guard Lauryn Madsen ended the 2025-26 campaign among the Anteaters' top-five single-season leaders in 3-pointers made (3rd, 70) and steals (T-5th, 71). Senior point guard Shirel Nahum also ranked second on the team in assists (3.0 apg) and third in scoring (7.3 ppg), while senior forward Summah Hanson averaged 6.6 points and 6.0 rebounds per outing.
• UCI lost two key members of last year's squad with the graduation of first-team all-conference selections Hunter Hernandez (19.8 ppg) and Jada Wynn (15.0 ppg). Hernandez, who broke the single-season school record with 655 points, was also named the Big West Player of the Year. It will take a collective team effort to fill their shoes as the 'Eaters have reloaded with four NCAA Division I transfers - Ahrray Young (Nevada), Gracie Gallegos (UC San Diego), Makiah Asidanya (UNCG), and Sarah Miller (Penn).
SCOUTING THE EAGLES
Eastern Washington is 2-2 on the season with both of its wins coming at home. Junior forward Jaecy Eggers, who was named the Big Sky Player of the Week on Nov. 10, leads the Eagles with 19.3 points, 10.0 rebounds, and 2.3 blocks per outing. Sophomore guard Elyn Bowers is also averaging 17.0 ppg after dropping a career-high 30 in a win over UC Davis. Junior forward Kourtney Grossman has put up 10.5 points and 11.0 rebounds per contest, but has missed the last two games.
SERIES RECORD
UC Irvine leads in its all-time series with Eastern Washington, 6-4. The Anteaters have won the last two with back-to-back victories in 2022 and 2023. UCI defeated the Eagles on the road, 67-65, on Dec. 1, 2022, and 71-63 in Irvine on Nov. 20, 2023.
MID-MAJOR RANKINGS
UC Irvine was receiving votes in the latest College Insider Women's Mid-Major rankings released on Nov. 10. The Anteaters dropped out of the top 25 after coming in at No. 22 in the preseason poll. Last year, the 'Eaters had a streak of 12 consecutive weeks in the top 25 (Dec. 23-March 10). On Jan. 20, 2026, they earned their highest mid-major ranking in program history at No. 12.Â
LAST TIME OUT
Ahrray Young had a career-high 23 points and Gracie Gallegos had a double-double to lead UC Irvine to a 76-74 victory at Northern Arizona on Tuesday, Nov. 10. Young's final two points gave the Anteaters their first win of the season. With the score knotted at 74-all, Young drove to the basket and drew the foul with 7.8 seconds on the clock. She calmly knocked down both free throws and UCI got the stop on the other end to win a back-and-forth affair that saw 10 ties and 10 lead changes. Young went 8-for-15 from the field, 3-for-4 from beyond the arc, and 4-of-5 at the charity stripe. She added six rebounds and two assists. Gallegos totaled 17 points and a game-high 11 rebounds. Nohe'alani Stores also had a productive 18 minutes on the court, finishing with 14 points (5-8 FG) and five boards. Stores came up big down the stretch with a putback giving UC Irvine a 74-72 lead.
20-20 VISION
UC Irvine had two 20-win campaigns in 42 years before head coach Tamara Inoue took the helm in 2016-17. Twenty wins are now the standard with the Anteaters reaching the benchmark six times in 10 seasons, including in each of the last five. Last year, UCI recorded its 20th victory on Feb. 12 as a 16-game win streak propelled the 'Eaters to a 20-4 record, marking their fastest run to 20 in program history. They went on to close out the season at 26-7, breaking the school record of 25 wins that was also set by an Inoue squad in 2022-23.
LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN
In the last four seasons, the Anteaters have won three Big West titles, claiming the Big West Championship crown in 2023-24, and finishing atop the regular season standings in 2022-23 and 2025-26. The 'Eaters have a seven-year streak of placing among the top-two in the conference. Since 2020-21, UC Irvine has not lost more than five Big West games in a regular season, combining for a league-leading 89-22 (.802) record during that stretch.Â
FROM THE LINE
In 2025-26, the 'Eaters made 566 free throws on 702 attempts. Their 80.6 free throw percentage was a single-season school record and ranked third in all of NCAA Division I behind only Rice (81.9%) and Illinois (81.5%). Six Anteaters finished the year shooting over 80% at the charity stripe including returners Ameerah Grant (83.6%), Lauryn Madsen (83.3%), Shirel Nahum (82.8%), and Summah Hanson (81.0%). In its 2026-27 season opener on Nov. 5, UCI picked up right where it left off, going 11-for-13 from the foul line at UCLA. On Tuesday, UC Irvine had an off night, finishing with a 63.0 free throw percentage (17-27). It ended a streak of nine consecutive outings above 70%.
DEFENSIVE IDENTITY
UC Irvine ranked among the top-15 in all of NCAA Division I in scoring defense for three-straight seasons (2022-25), before finishing the 2025-26 campaign at No. 30. The 'Eaters were also 13th in FG% defense a year ago, and fifth in 2024-25. In 2022-23, UCI's school-record 53.2 points allowed per game ranked seventh in the nation. With seven newcomers this year, the Anteaters are still finding their chemistry as they gave up 78 points at No. 11 UCLA and 74 in a win at NAU. It is the first time they allowed 70+ points in back-to-back games since December 2021.
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DOUBLED DOWN
An Anteater has recorded a double-double in each of the first two games. In her UCI debut, senior transfer Ahrray Young finished with 10 points and a game-high 10 rebounds at defending national champion and 11th-ranked UCLA. The 5-foot-11 guard was the first 'Eater with a double-double in the season-opener since Sabrina Englestad (18 points/12 rebounds) on Nov. 7, 2018. Senior transfer Gracie Gallegos also put up 17 points and 11 boards in a 76-74 win at Northern Arizona on Nov. 10.
EARLY LEADER
Through the first two games of the season, Ahrray Young leads UC Irvine in scoring (16.5 ppg) and rebounding (8.0 rpg). After finishing with 10 points and 10 boards at No. 11 UCLA, Young dropped a career-high 23 points, including the game-winning free throws, in a 76-74 victory at Northern Arizona. She is shooting 42.3% (11-26) from the field, 57.1% (4-7) from beyond the arc, and 87.5% (7-8) at the free throw line.
MORE IN STORE
Sophomore Nohe'alani Stores was named to the 2025-26 Big West All-Freshman Team after averaging 5.7 points and 3.4 rebounds in 32 games played. She led the Anteaters in field goal percentage at 55.7%. Stores reached double figures in scoring on six occasions, including in the opener against San Diego (Nov. 5, 2025), when she notched a career-high 17 points on 7-of-8 shooting. The 6-foot-2 forward is coming off her first double-digit performance of the 2026-27 season as she finished with 14 points in 18 minutes at Northern Arizona on Nov. 10. She went 5-for-8 from the field, while adding five rebounds.
FIRST IMPRESSION
Freshman Delaney White had an impressive collegiate debut, coming off the bench to put up a team-high 12 points and three steals at UCLA. She also had five points and two steals in 13 minutes at NAU. White is tied for second on the team with 8.5 ppg, and leads the 'Eaters with 2.5 steals per outing.
ON POINT
Last season, senior Shirel Nahum took 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 an impressive campaign, averaging 7.3 points, 3.4 rebounds, 3.0 assists, and 1.1 steals per outing. She had a breakout performance in a 90-75 win over NAU as she finished with a career-high 23 points (Nov. 15, 2025). She reached double digits in scoring 10 times, while also settling in as a primary playmaker with 3+ assists on 21 occasions. She dished out a career-best seven dimes in a win over Colgate on Nov. 29, 2025.Â
SHARPSHOOTER
Junior Lauryn Madsen ranked second on the squad, and third in single-season school history with 70 made threes last year. She buried five 3-pointers for a career-high 15 points on five occasions. In 57 career games played, Madsen has a triple in 43 of them, and drained multiple threes 20 times. In 2025-26, the 5-foot-11 guard averaged 7.0 points, 2.9 rebounds, 1.3 assists, and 2.2 steals per contest. Defensively, Madsen led the 'Eaters with 71 steals, which tied for fifth in single-season school history. She recorded multiple takeaways 20 times and swiped 4+ on six occasions with a career-high six at LBSU on Jan. 8.
SUMMAH TIME
Senior Summah Hanson averaged 6.6 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 1.0 blocks in 22 games played last season. The 6-foot-3 forward, who missed the first 10 contests recovering from an offseason injury, pulled down 5+ rebounds in 16 of her 22 appearances. The Brisbane, Australia, native had two double-doubles on the year with 12 points and a season-best 13 boards against UC Santa Barbara, and 13 points/11 rebounds vs. CSUN. She also notched a season-high 18 points against UC San Diego.
THE GOAT
Tamara Inoue is the most decorated head coach in program history. She is the Anteaters' only two-time Big West Coach of the Year, while her teams captured both of UCI's Big West regular-season titles. In 2023-24, she also guided the 'Eaters to their first Big West Championship and NCAA tournament appearance in 29 years. Inoue is UC Irvine women's basketball's all-time winningest head coach. On Feb. 27, 2025, she earned her 159th career victory to surpass Dean Andrea (1979-1991). Now in her 11th season, Inoue owns a 188-124 career record. Her .603 win percentage is the best among UCI's head coaches who were at the helm for more than 30 games. Her teams have twice broken the school record in wins with 25 in 2022-23 and 26 in 2025-26. In addition, Inoue has led the Anteaters to five of their six national postseason berths, their first victory in a national postseason tournament (2023 WNIT), and six of their eight 20-win campaigns.
SIGNING DAY
UC Irvine signed Tiera "Tee" McCarthy and Ella Mims for the 2027-28 season. McCarthy has helped Archbishop Mitty High School to three-straight CIF NorCal, Central Coast Section, and West Catholic Athletic League titles. The 5-foot-7 point guard was a first-team all-league and San Jose Mercury News All-Bay Area selection. Mims led Saint Joseph High School to the Del Rey League title with a perfect 8-0 record in 2025-26. The 6-foot-4 post player was named to the Press Telegram Girls' Basketball Dream Team and made the Prep Girls Hoops Stock Riser list in August.
UP NEXT
UC Irvine will host Idaho State in its home opener on Wednesday, Nov. 18. The Anteaters will unveil their 2025-26 Big West Championship banner prior to the 6 p.m. tip-off at the Bren Events Center.
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