IRVINE, Calif. – UC Irvine women's basketball secured its fifth-straight 20-win season with an 84-39 rout of Cal Poly Thursday evening at the Bren Events Center.
 
The Anteaters (20-4, 11-2 Big West) now have six 20-win campaigns under 10th-year head coach Tamara Inoue. This season, they accomplished the feat in 24 games, marking the fastest they have reached 20 victories in program history.
 
UCI came out strong, taking an 8-0 lead, but the Mustangs responded with a 9-2 run and kept it close as they trailed by only four after the opening quarter. The 'Eaters then took control over the next 20 minutes where they outscored Cal Poly, 54-18, to put the game well out of reach.
 
UC Irvine was lights out from distance, shooting 43.8% with a season-high 14 threes. The Anteaters also continued their stifling defense, allowing a season-low 39 points. They have held their opponent to under 60 points on 16 occasions including in each of their last three outings.  
 
BY THE NUMBERS: Senior Jada Wynn went 8-for-10 from the field and 5-of-7 from beyond the arc for a game-high 21 points. She also dished out four assists.
 
Junior Shirel Nahum had her third-straight double-figure scoring game with 16 points (7-8 FG), while adding five assists and two steals. Sophomore Naomy Zonzon-Huyghe recorded her first career double-double with 11 points and a season-best 12 rebounds.
 
Senior Hunter Hernandez finished with eight points, five boards, and six assists. Sophomore Daniela Falcon Hernandez chipped in a season-high eight points.
 
The 'Eaters shot 45.6% (31-68) overall. They limited the Mustangs to 30.6% (15-49) from the floor and 21.4% (3-14) from deep. UCI also held a lopsided advantage in rebounds (47-28), turnovers forced (21-11), steals (13-6), points off turnovers (24-10), and points in the paint (28-18).
 
Charish Thompson led Cal Poly with 15 points.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED: Hernandez scored the first five points of the game before setting up a corner three from Lauryn Madsen to give UC Irvine an 8-0 lead at the 6:56 mark. After calling a timeout, Cal Poly got on the board and proceeded on a 9-2 run to close the gap to one. Wynn then buried a triple to end a three-plus minute UCI scoring drought. The Anteaters stayed out front, holding a 19-15 edge at the end of the opening quarter.
 
Hernandez and Wynn each buried a 3-pointer in the first two minutes of the second frame to put the 'Eaters on top by double digits. The Mustangs cut their deficit in half before UC Irvine put together a 14-0 rally that ended with a steal and layup from Nahum for a 39-20 cushion with 2:22 remaining. The Anteaters continued to roll as Wynn's fifth trey of the half gave the home team a 22-point lead. Cal Poly knocked down a jumper in the final minute to make it 44-24 at the break.
 
The Mustangs (3-21, 1-13 Big West) got four quick points from Thompson to start the third period but that was the closest they would get as UCI's lead ballooned to 33 following a 17-0 run. The 'Eaters did not let up as they went on to outscore Cal Poly, 11-3, over the final three minutes for a 72-33 margin.
 
Haley Hernandez opened the fourth with a traditional three-point play and UC Irvine maintained a 40+ point lead the rest of the way.
 
UP NEXT: The Anteaters make the short trip to Cal State Fullerton for a 2 p.m. Big West showdown on Saturday, Feb. 14. UCI is currently second in the Big West standings, sitting a half-game back of UC San Diego (12-2), and a half-game ahead of the Titans and UC Davis, who are tied for third at 11-3.
 
NOTES
• Ten of UC Irvine's 20 wins have been by 20+ points.
• This was the 10th time this season the 'Eaters did not trail in a game.
• Tonight's 45-point win was their largest margin of victory this year.
• In its last two games, UCI has combined for a +33.5 scoring margin while allowing 40.0 ppg.
• The Anteaters improved to 12-1 at the Bren Events Center, tying the school record for home wins.
• UC Irvine extended its win streak against Cal Poly to 10 games.
• The 'Eaters earned their 300th all-time Big West regular-season win.
• Summah Hanson surpassed 800 career points (803), and Jada Wynn reached the 700-point benchmark (702).
• Reese Noa pulled down a career-high eight rebounds in 13 minutes.