Tuesday, November 10
Flagstaff, Ariz.
5:00 PM PT
UC Irvine
at
Northern Arizona
November 08, 2026 | Women's Basketball
UC Irvine (0-1) at
Northern Arizona (0-1)
Date:Â Tuesday, Nov. 10
Time:Â 6 p.m. (MST) / 5 p.m. (PST)
Location:Â Rolle Activity Center (1,210) - Flagstaff, Ariz.
Watch on ESPN+ | Live Stats
IRVINE, Calif. -Â UC Irvine women's basketball continues its season-opening three-game road stretch at Northern Arizona on Tuesday, Nov. 10. Tip-off is set for 6 p.m. (MT)/5 p.m. (PT) at Rolle Activity Center.
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STARTING FIVE: STORYLINES
• The Anteaters are coming off one of their best seasons in program history. In 2025-26, UCI produced its fifth-straight 20-win campaign, claimed a share of its second Big West regular season title, and earned an automatic bid to the WBIT for its fourth national postseason appearance in five years. The 'Eaters set school records in both overall (26) and conference (17) victories. They also won 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. Senior point guard Shirel Nahum ranked second on the team in assists (3.0 apg) and third in scoring (7.3 ppg) in 2025-26. Senior forward Summah Hanson also averaged 6.6 points and 6.0 rebounds per game. Rounding out the trio is junior guard Lauryn Madsen, who ended her sophomore campaign among the Anteaters' top-five single-season leaders in 3-pointers made (3rd, 70) and steals (T-5th, 71).
• UCI lost two key members of its 2025-26 squad with the graduation of leading scorers and 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). They also have three incoming freshmen.
• UC Irvine and NAU are both 0-1 after opening their respective seasons against Power 4 opponents on the road. For the first time in program history, the Anteaters faced the defending national champion, falling to 11th-ranked UCLA (Big Ten). The Lumberjacks also dropped a 79-52 decision to Big 12 member Arizona State, which was receiving votes in the AP Preseason Poll.
• The 'Eaters, who finished the 2025-26 campaign ranked third in the nation in free throw percentage, picked up right where they left off at the charity stripe as they went 11-for-13 (84.6%) in their season opener.
SCOUTING THE LUMBERJACKS
Northern Arizona (0-1) fell at Big 12 member Arizona State, 79-52, in its season opener on Nov. 5. Layla Davis and Aaliyah Smith tied for the team lead with 10 points each. Alondra Lizama also had nine points and six rebounds, while Morgan Hawkins finished with nine points and five assists.Â
The Lumberjacks return four players from last year's squad that went 10-22, while bringing in 10 newcomers.
SERIES RECORD
UC Irvine and NAU are tied in their all-time series, 3-3. The Anteaters evened it up last year with a 90-75 victory over the Lumberjacks at the Bren Events Center on Nov. 15, 2025. It was the first of UCI's school-record 16-game win streak. Shirel Nahum led the way with a career-high 23 points, while Nohe'alani Stores finished with 14.
MID-MAJOR RANKINGS
UC Irvine was ranked 22nd in the College Insider Women's Mid-Major Preseason Poll that was released on Oct. 29. Last year, the Anteaters had a streak of 12 consecutive weeks in the Top 25 (Dec. 23-March 10). On Jan. 20, 2026, the 'Eaters earned their highest mid-major ranking in program history at No. 12.Â
LAST TIME OUT
UC Irvine fell to defending national champion and 11th-ranked UCLA, 78-42, in its season opener at Pauley Pavilion on Thursday, Nov. 5. Freshman Delaney White, who graduated from Sierra Canyon High School in Los Angeles, had an impressive collegiate debut, finishing with a team-high 12 points and three steals. The 5-foot-7 guard also pulled down five rebounds. Senior transfer Ahrray Young recorded her fourth career double-double with 10 points and a game-high 10 boards. Senior Shirel Nahum added nine points (3-5 FG), while junior Lauryn Madsen dished out a career-best four assists. The Bruins used their size advantage to win the rebounding battle, 50-34, and to hold the 'Eaters to 24% shooting.
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.
DEFENSIVE IDENTITY
UC Irvine has developed into one of the better defensive teams in the country, ranking 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. UCI was also 13th in FG% defense a year ago, and fifth in 2024-25. In 2022-23, the Anteaters' school-record 53.2 points allowed per game ranked seventh in the nation. They have not given up more than 60 ppg in a season since 2021-22 (60.8 ppg).
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 187-124 career record. Her .601 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.
FIRST IMPRESSION
Freshman Delaney White and senior transfer Ahrray Young both had impressive Anteater debuts on Thursday, Nov. 5. In her first collegiate game, White came off the bench to finish with a team-high 12 points and three steals at No. 11 UCLA. Young, a transfer from Nevada, earned the start, recording 10 points and a game-high 10 rebounds against the defending national champion Bruins. It is the first time an 'Eater had a double-double in the season opener since Sabrina Englestad (18 points/12 rebounds) on Nov. 7, 2018.
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. 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 56 career games played, Madsen has a triple in 42 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.
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 season-high 17 points on 7-of-8 shooting. The 6-foot-2 forward, who has been battling through injuries since arriving at UCI, is looking to stay healthy and build on that success in 2026-27.
KEY LOSSES
UC Irvine graduated its top two scorers, Hunter Hernandez (19.8 ppg) and Jada Wynn (15.0 ppg). Hernandez, who was at UCI for five years, was one of the greatest to ever don the Blue & Gold. Last season, she shattered the single-season school record with 655 points. The 5-foot-9 guard also finished her career as the Anteaters' all-time leader in free throws made (402) and climbed all the way up to No. 2 in scoring (1,477). Hernandez was the first player in program history to earn a third first-team All-Big West selection, and the second to be named the Big West Player of the Year.
IMPACT TRANSFERS
Looking to help fill the gap left by Hernandez and Wynn are four NCAA Division I transfers. Senior guard Ahrray Young played last season at Nevada where she averaged 9.5 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 2.4 assists per game. Senior guard Gracie Gallegos is a familiar face after spending the last four years at Big West rival UC San Diego. Gallegos sat out the 2022-23 and 2025-26 seasons, but made an impact when she was on the court. She was a key piece in the Tritons' 2024-25 conference championship run, starting all 35 games and finishing with 9.3 points and 5.3 boards per outing. Gallegos was an All-Big West honorable mention selection, while she also garnered All-Freshman Team honors in 2023-24. Senior guard Makiah Asidanya is coming off her best season at UNC Greensboro where she started every game and ranked second on the team in scoring (11.2 ppg). Junior guard Sarah Miller also joins the 'Eaters after two years at Penn.Â
UP NEXT
UC Irvine closes out its season-opening three-game road swing at Eastern Washington on Sunday, Nov. 15.
Northern Arizona (0-1)
Date:Â Tuesday, Nov. 10
Time:Â 6 p.m. (MST) / 5 p.m. (PST)
Location:Â Rolle Activity Center (1,210) - Flagstaff, Ariz.
Watch on ESPN+ | Live Stats
IRVINE, Calif. -Â UC Irvine women's basketball continues its season-opening three-game road stretch at Northern Arizona on Tuesday, Nov. 10. Tip-off is set for 6 p.m. (MT)/5 p.m. (PT) at Rolle Activity Center.
Â
STARTING FIVE: STORYLINES
• The Anteaters are coming off one of their best seasons in program history. In 2025-26, UCI produced its fifth-straight 20-win campaign, claimed a share of its second Big West regular season title, and earned an automatic bid to the WBIT for its fourth national postseason appearance in five years. The 'Eaters set school records in both overall (26) and conference (17) victories. They also won 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. Senior point guard Shirel Nahum ranked second on the team in assists (3.0 apg) and third in scoring (7.3 ppg) in 2025-26. Senior forward Summah Hanson also averaged 6.6 points and 6.0 rebounds per game. Rounding out the trio is junior guard Lauryn Madsen, who ended her sophomore campaign among the Anteaters' top-five single-season leaders in 3-pointers made (3rd, 70) and steals (T-5th, 71).
• UCI lost two key members of its 2025-26 squad with the graduation of leading scorers and 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). They also have three incoming freshmen.
• UC Irvine and NAU are both 0-1 after opening their respective seasons against Power 4 opponents on the road. For the first time in program history, the Anteaters faced the defending national champion, falling to 11th-ranked UCLA (Big Ten). The Lumberjacks also dropped a 79-52 decision to Big 12 member Arizona State, which was receiving votes in the AP Preseason Poll.
• The 'Eaters, who finished the 2025-26 campaign ranked third in the nation in free throw percentage, picked up right where they left off at the charity stripe as they went 11-for-13 (84.6%) in their season opener.
SCOUTING THE LUMBERJACKS
Northern Arizona (0-1) fell at Big 12 member Arizona State, 79-52, in its season opener on Nov. 5. Layla Davis and Aaliyah Smith tied for the team lead with 10 points each. Alondra Lizama also had nine points and six rebounds, while Morgan Hawkins finished with nine points and five assists.Â
The Lumberjacks return four players from last year's squad that went 10-22, while bringing in 10 newcomers.
SERIES RECORD
UC Irvine and NAU are tied in their all-time series, 3-3. The Anteaters evened it up last year with a 90-75 victory over the Lumberjacks at the Bren Events Center on Nov. 15, 2025. It was the first of UCI's school-record 16-game win streak. Shirel Nahum led the way with a career-high 23 points, while Nohe'alani Stores finished with 14.
MID-MAJOR RANKINGS
UC Irvine was ranked 22nd in the College Insider Women's Mid-Major Preseason Poll that was released on Oct. 29. Last year, the Anteaters had a streak of 12 consecutive weeks in the Top 25 (Dec. 23-March 10). On Jan. 20, 2026, the 'Eaters earned their highest mid-major ranking in program history at No. 12.Â
LAST TIME OUT
UC Irvine fell to defending national champion and 11th-ranked UCLA, 78-42, in its season opener at Pauley Pavilion on Thursday, Nov. 5. Freshman Delaney White, who graduated from Sierra Canyon High School in Los Angeles, had an impressive collegiate debut, finishing with a team-high 12 points and three steals. The 5-foot-7 guard also pulled down five rebounds. Senior transfer Ahrray Young recorded her fourth career double-double with 10 points and a game-high 10 boards. Senior Shirel Nahum added nine points (3-5 FG), while junior Lauryn Madsen dished out a career-best four assists. The Bruins used their size advantage to win the rebounding battle, 50-34, and to hold the 'Eaters to 24% shooting.
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.
DEFENSIVE IDENTITY
UC Irvine has developed into one of the better defensive teams in the country, ranking 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. UCI was also 13th in FG% defense a year ago, and fifth in 2024-25. In 2022-23, the Anteaters' school-record 53.2 points allowed per game ranked seventh in the nation. They have not given up more than 60 ppg in a season since 2021-22 (60.8 ppg).
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 187-124 career record. Her .601 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.
FIRST IMPRESSION
Freshman Delaney White and senior transfer Ahrray Young both had impressive Anteater debuts on Thursday, Nov. 5. In her first collegiate game, White came off the bench to finish with a team-high 12 points and three steals at No. 11 UCLA. Young, a transfer from Nevada, earned the start, recording 10 points and a game-high 10 rebounds against the defending national champion Bruins. It is the first time an 'Eater had a double-double in the season opener since Sabrina Englestad (18 points/12 rebounds) on Nov. 7, 2018.
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. 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 56 career games played, Madsen has a triple in 42 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.
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 season-high 17 points on 7-of-8 shooting. The 6-foot-2 forward, who has been battling through injuries since arriving at UCI, is looking to stay healthy and build on that success in 2026-27.
KEY LOSSES
UC Irvine graduated its top two scorers, Hunter Hernandez (19.8 ppg) and Jada Wynn (15.0 ppg). Hernandez, who was at UCI for five years, was one of the greatest to ever don the Blue & Gold. Last season, she shattered the single-season school record with 655 points. The 5-foot-9 guard also finished her career as the Anteaters' all-time leader in free throws made (402) and climbed all the way up to No. 2 in scoring (1,477). Hernandez was the first player in program history to earn a third first-team All-Big West selection, and the second to be named the Big West Player of the Year.
IMPACT TRANSFERS
Looking to help fill the gap left by Hernandez and Wynn are four NCAA Division I transfers. Senior guard Ahrray Young played last season at Nevada where she averaged 9.5 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 2.4 assists per game. Senior guard Gracie Gallegos is a familiar face after spending the last four years at Big West rival UC San Diego. Gallegos sat out the 2022-23 and 2025-26 seasons, but made an impact when she was on the court. She was a key piece in the Tritons' 2024-25 conference championship run, starting all 35 games and finishing with 9.3 points and 5.3 boards per outing. Gallegos was an All-Big West honorable mention selection, while she also garnered All-Freshman Team honors in 2023-24. Senior guard Makiah Asidanya is coming off her best season at UNC Greensboro where she started every game and ranked second on the team in scoring (11.2 ppg). Junior guard Sarah Miller also joins the 'Eaters after two years at Penn.Â
UP NEXT
UC Irvine closes out its season-opening three-game road swing at Eastern Washington on Sunday, Nov. 15.
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