Cal Poly (3-20, 1-12 Big West) at
UC Irvine (19-4, 10-2 Big West)
Date: Thursday, Feb. 12
Time: 6 p.m. (PST)
Location: Bren Events Center (5,000) - Irvine, Calif.

UC Irvine (19-4, 10-2 Big West) at
Cal State Fullerton (14-9, 10-3 Big West)
Date: Saturday, Feb. 14
Time: 2 p.m. (PST)
Location: Titan Gym (4,000) - Fullerton, Calif.

IRVINE, Calif. - UC Irvine women's basketball will host Cal Poly in its Black History Month Game on Thursday, Feb. 12. Tip-off is set for 6 p.m. at the Bren Events Center. The Anteaters then make the short drive to Cal State Fullerton for a 2 p.m. showdown on Saturday, Feb. 14.
 
STARTING FIVE: STORYLINES
• UCI went 2-0 last week to improve to 10-2 in Big West play. It is the sixth-straight season the 'Eaters have recorded double-digit wins in conference. The Anteaters enter the week 1.5 games back of league-leading UC San Diego (12-1) in the Big West standings.

• UC Irvine's 16-game win streak from Nov. 15-Jan. 22 stands as the seventh-longest in all of NCAA Division I women's basketball this season. The Anteaters now find themselves one victory away from a fifth consecutive 20-win campaign. If they come out on top on Thursday, it will be the fastest they have reached the 20-win milestone in program history.

• Senior Hunter Hernandez and junior Summah Hanson both recorded a double-double in last Saturday's 63-41 win over UC Santa Barbara. Hernandez had a game-high 15 points to go along with 10 rebounds, while Hanson registered 12 points and led all players with 13 boards. It was the second time this season two 'Eaters finished with a double-double in the same game.

• Since 2020-21, UCI has not lost more than five games in Big West regular season play, combining for a conference-best 82-21 (.796) record during that stretch. 

• With a win on Thursday, UC Irvine would tie a program record with its 12th home victory of the season.

SCOUTING THE MUSTANGS
Cal Poly (3-20, 1-12 Big West) has lost nine in a row after falling to CSUN, 65-50, and UC Davis, 59-55, last week. Vanessa McManus leads the Mustangs and ranks third in the Big West with 17.9 points per game. Charish Thompson is also averaging double figures at 14.0 ppg on 46% shooting. Thompson (5.5 rpg) and McManus (5.1 rpg) are Cal Poly's top two rebounders.

SCOUTING THE TITANS
Cal State Fullerton (14-9, 10-3 Big West) had two overtime road wins last week, defeating UC Riverside, 82-78, and Cal State Bakersfield, 92-87. The Titans have now won six in a row for the Big West's longest active win streak. Cristina Jones has anchored CSF with 17.2 points, 9.2 rebounds, and a conference-best 4.1 steals per outing. As a team, Cal State Fullerton leads the nation in steals (16.5 spg) and turnovers forced (27.4/game). The Titans are also tops in the Big West in scoring offense (72.9 ppg).

SERIES RECORDS
UC Irvine trails in its all-time series with Cal Poly, 37-33, but has won nine in a row. Last year, the Anteaters defeated the Mustangs, 60-38, at home (Jan. 2) and 59-57 on the road (Jan. 18). The 'Eaters have not lost to Cal Poly since a quarterfinal match-up at the Big West Championships in Long Beach on March 11, 2020. UCI's last regular-season loss to CP came on Jan. 18, 2018. Thursday will be the first meeting of the season between UC Irvine and Cal Poly.

UCI leads in its all-time series with Cal State Fullerton, 53-40. The Anteaters took a 64-51 victory in the first meeting of the year at the Bren Events Center on Jan. 3. Hunter Hernandez led the way with a game-high 26 points to go along with eight rebounds, three assists, and three steals. Jada Wynn added 10 points, four boards, and four assists. Cristina Jones paced the Titans with 21 points and a game-high 18 rebounds.

MID-MAJOR RANKINGS
UC Irvine came in at No. 19 in this week's College Insider Women's Mid-Major Poll. This is the eighth-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
The Anteaters' stingy defense lifted them to an impressive 63-41 win over UC Santa Barbara last Saturday at the Bren Events Center. UC Irvine was locked in from the get-go, holding the Gauchos to 28.3% from the field, and just 5-of-25 from beyond the arc. UCSB, which had knocked down 11 threes in its win over UC Davis two days earlier, was averaging a Big West-leading nine 3-pointers made per game. 

The 'Eaters never trailed in their ninth 20-point victory of the season, and fifth against conference opponents. Hunter Hernandez and Summah Hanson both recorded a double-double for UCI. Hernandez finished with a game-high 15 points to go along with 10 rebounds, while Hanson notched 12 points and led all players with 13 boards. Shirel Nahum had a solid stat line with 12 points, three rebounds, three assists, and three steals without committing a turnover. Jada Wynn added nine points, eight boards, and three assists. UC Irvine outrebounded UCSB, 48-36, and held a 13-7 advantage in turnovers forced.

20-20 VISION
The Anteaters are closing in on their fifth-straight 20-win campaign. From 2021-25, the 'Eaters averaged 22.5 victories per season, and set a school record with 25 wins in 2022-23.

BIG WEST DOMINANCE
UC Irvine has already secured its sixth-straight season with at least 10 Big West wins. In their 10 conference victories, the Anteaters have been dominant with a +20.8 scoring margin. They held a lead of 20 or more eight times, while finishing with five 20+-point victories, including three by more than 30 - at UC Riverside (77-40), vs. UC Davis (73-42), and most recently at Cal State Bakersfield (85-53). UCI trailed by double digits against a Big West opponent for the first time on Jan. 24 when it fell behind UC San Diego by 10 with 9:46 remaining in the fourth quarter. The 'Eaters then faced their largest deficit of the conference season (14) with 3:07 left in their five-point loss at Hawai'i.

DEFEND THE BREN
Since 2017-18, UCI is 92-27 (.773) 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 11-1 with three regular-season home games remaining on the schedule.

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. The streak, which is the seventh-longest in all of NCAA Division I women's basketball this season, came to an end with a 68-66 loss to UC San Diego on Jan. 24. The Anteaters nearly doubled their previous best of nine consecutive victories which they set in 1976 and later matched in 2022-23. During their 16-game win streak from Nov. 15 through Jan. 22, the 'Eaters averaged 74.3 ppg, and owned a +18.7 scoring margin. 

DYNAMIC DUO
Seniors Hunter Hernandez and Jada Wynn have been the top duo in the Big West this year. Through 12 conference games, Hernandez ranks second in the league in scoring (19.4 ppg), while Wynn is fifth (16.3 ppg). Wynn (7.25 rpg) and Hernandez (7.17 rpg) are also among the top-eight in rebounding. In addition, Wynn is first in 3-pointers made (2.7/game), second in 3FG percentage (41.6%), and second in free throw percentage (88.7%). Overall, Hernandez (419) and Wynn (350) have scored nearly half of UC Irvine's total points. They also combined for 15 of the Anteaters' 16 20-point performances and nine of their 10 double-doubles this season. The duo scored 20+ in the same game against Cal State Bakersfield (Jan. 1) and at LBSU (Jan. 8), and both had a double-double vs. NAU on Nov. 15.
 
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 1,241 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 (56.4 ppg), and second in scoring offense (71.2 ppg). The Anteaters have finished with 70+ points in 14 of their 23 games, while also holding their opponents to under 60 points on 15 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 ppg. UCI currently ranks 21st in all of NCAA Division I in scoring defense and seventh in field goal percentage defense (34.3%).

GETTING TO THE LINE
Through games of Feb. 9, UC Irvine ranks fifth in the nation in free throw percentage (79.9%) and seventh in free throws made (17.3/game). The Anteaters have five or fewer misses from the charity stripe in 17 of their 23 games. Individually, Hunter Hernandez is 20th in the country in free throws made (114). Five 'Eaters are shooting 80% or better at the foul line, led by Jada Wynn, who ranks first in the Big West and 39th in all of NCAA Division I at 86.8% (105-121).

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 15.2 points per game, while leading the team in rebounding (7.7 rpg), assists (3.8 apg), and 3FG made (55). Her 55 threes are tied for eighth in single-season school history. The 6-foot-1 guard has 19 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 39.3% from the field, 39.9% from deep, and 86.8% 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 7.4 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks since making her season debut against California Baptist on Dec. 13. The 6-foot-3 forward, who missed the first 10 games recovering from an offseason injury, has pulled down 5+ rebounds in 11 of her 13 appearances. In last Saturday's win over UC Santa Barbara, the Brisbane, Australia, native recorded her first double-double of the year with 12 points and a season-best 13 boards. Two weeks ago, she also notched a season-high 18 points against UC San Diego. Since Jan. 17, Hanson is shooting 45% (18-40) from the field, 42.8% (9-21) from deep, and 90.9% (10-11) at the free throw line. Hanson was named the 2024-25 Big West's Best Sixth Player. 

SHARPSHOOTER
Sophomore Lauryn Madsen is second on the squad and fifth in the Big West with 49 made threes. This season, she has buried five 3-pointers in a game for a career-high 15 points on three occasions. She most recently went 5-for-9 from beyond the arc at Cal State Bakersfield on Feb. 5. Madsen also finished with 15 points at New Mexico State (5-8 3FG) and against Bowling Green (5-9 3FG) during the non-conference season. Madsen was the first Anteater to knock down five triples in a game since March 2, 2024. On the year, 49 of her 54 field goals and 151 of her 163 attempts have been from beyond the arc. In 45 career games played, Madsen has a triple in 34 of them, and drained multiple threes 15 times. The 5-foot-11 guard is averaging 7.2 points, 3.2 rebounds, 1.5 assists, and a team-best 2.0 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. She is coming off back-to-back 12-point performances in victories over Cal State Bakersfield (Feb. 5) and UC Santa Barbara (Feb. 7). Nahum has also settled in as a primary playmaker with 3+ assists in 15 of her 23 appearances. She dished out a career-best seven dimes in a win over Colgate on Nov. 29. On the year, Nahum is averaging 7.0 points, 3.3 rebounds, 2.8 assists, and 1.3 steals.

SCORING SPREE
From Dec. 6-Jan. 24, Hunter Hernandez had eight of her 10 20-point games including two with 30+. During that stretch, she averaged 23.5 ppg, while shooting 45% from the field, 49% from distance, and 81% at the free throw line. 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. She recently saw a 17-game double-figure scoring streak come to an end with nine points at Hawai'i on Jan. 29. On the year, Hernandez leads the 'Eaters and is second in the Big West with 18.2 ppg. With eight regular-season games remaining, she already has a single-season career-high 419 points. She is 174 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.

WATCH LIST
On Jan. 21, Jada Wynn was named to the midseason watch list for the 2026 Becky Hammon Mid-Major Player of Year Award presented by Her Hoop Stats. Wynn was one of 15 athletes from 15 different teams and 13 conferences to make the list. She is the Anteaters' first representative on the watch list for the Becky Hammon Award which is in its seventh year.

UP NEXT
UC Irvine will host Long Beach State at 6 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 19, before traveling to La Jolla for a 4 p.m. showdown with Big West leader UC San Diego on Saturday, Feb. 21.