Long Beach State (3-21, 2-12 Big West) at
UC Irvine (21-4, 12-2 Big West)
Date: Thursday, Feb. 19
Time: 6 p.m. (PST)
Location: Bren Events Center (5,000) - Irvine, Calif.

UC Irvine (21-4, 12-2 Big West) at
UC San Diego (18-7, 13-2 Big West)
Date: Saturday, Feb. 21
Time: 4 p.m. (PST)
Location: LionTree Arena (4,000) - La Jolla, Calif.

IRVINE, Calif. - UC Irvine women's basketball will open the week at home, hosting Black & Blue Rival Long Beach State at the Bren Events Center this Thursday, Feb 19. Tip-off is set for 6 p.m. The Anteaters then head south to face league-leading UC San Diego in a 4 p.m. showdown at LionTree Arena on Saturday, Feb. 21.
 
STARTING FIVE: STORYLINES
• UCI secured its fifth-straight 20-win season with an 84-39 victory over Cal Poly last Thursday, Feb. 12. The 'Eaters reached 20 wins in 24 games, marking the fastest they have hit the benchmark in program history. Six of UC Irvine's eight 20-win campaigns have come under 10th-year head coach Tamara Inoue.

• Senior Jada Wynn was on fire last week, averaging 22.0 points on 66.7% (16-24) shooting from the field and 71.4% (10-14) from distance. She tied her season high with five 3-pointers against both Cal Poly and Cal State Fullerton. Wynn moved up to No. 23 in the nation in 3FG% this season at 42.8%, while her Big West-leading 65 made threes rank third in single-season school history.

• Senior Hunter Hernandez led all players with 30 points (10-16 FG, 4-6 3FG) in a 77-71 win over Cal State Fullerton on Feb. 14. It was Hernandez's 11th 20+ point performance, and third with 30 or more this season. She ranks second in the conference in scoring at 18.3 points per game.

• From Nov. 15-Jan. 22, the 'Eaters won a program-record 16 games in a row. They are one of 11 teams in all of NCAA Division I women's basketball with a win streak of at least 16 games this season. UC Irvine has started a new run as winners of its last four.

• Since 2020-21, UCI has not lost more than five games in Big West play, combining for a conference-best 84-21 (.800) record during that stretch.

SCOUTING THE BEACH
Long Beach State (3-21, 2-12 Big West) is on a four-game losing streak after falling at Cal State Fullerton, 70-62, and against UC Davis, 77-66, last week. JaQuoia Jones-Brown leads the Beach with 16.8 points and 7.2 rebounds per outing. Khylee Pepe, who has reached double figures in scoring in six-straight contests, is also averaging 8.3 points and a team-best 1.6 steals.

SCOUTING THE TRITONS
UC San Diego (18-7, 13-2 Big West) saw a five-game win streak snapped with an 88-80 triple-overtime loss at UC Davis last Thursday. UCSD bounced back with a 79-68 win at UC Riverside to remain in first in the Big West standings. Erin Condron leads four Tritons in double figures with 15.7 points per contest, while she is also tops on the squad in rebounding (8.2 rpg). Sabrina Ma and Rosa Smith have been the team's biggest threats from the perimeter, knocking down 59 and 47 threes, respectively. Makayla Rose (3.4 spg) and Dymonique Maxie (4.4 apg) have also been key to UC San Diego's success this year.

SERIES RECORDS
UC Irvine trails in its all-time series with Long Beach State, 65-26, but has won five of the last six. The Anteaters came out on top, 78-59, in the first meeting of the season in Long Beach on Jan. 8. Hunter Hernandez led all players with 21 points, while Jada Wynn added 20 points, five assists, and three steals. Lauryn Madsen also swiped a career-high six steals. Rosie Akot paced the Beach with 18 points.

UCI leads in its all-time series with UC San Diego, 14-3. The Tritons won the first meeting of the season as they escaped with a 68-66 victory at the Bren Events Center on Jan. 24. The Anteaters nearly erased a 10-point fourth quarter deficit, but an open look from three to win the game at the buzzer was just off the mark. The loss snapped UCI's 16-game win streak. Hunter Hernandez recorded a double-double with 19 points and 10 rebounds. Summah Hanson also finished with a season-high 18 points. UCSD was led by Rosa Smith and Erin Condron, who had 20 and 19 points, respectively.

MID-MAJOR RANKINGS
UC Irvine held steady at No. 19 in this week's College Insider Women's Mid-Major Poll. This is the ninth-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
UC Irvine picked up a big road win last Saturday, defeating Cal State Fullerton, 77-71, at Titan Gym. CSF pulled ahead early and stayed out front until late in the second quarter. UCI took its first lead, which it would not relinquish, with 2:39 remaining in the half. The Anteaters were dialed in after the break, outscoring the Titans, 11-3, through the first four minutes to go up by double digits. They led by as many as 16 in the fourth quarter before holding off a late Cal State Fullerton rally to complete the regular-season series sweep. Hunter Hernandez finished with a game-high 30 points and a career-high tying five steals. Jada Wynn had her second-straight outing with five 3-pointers made. Wynn was 8-for-14 from the field and 5-of-7 from beyond the arc for 23 points. Nohe'alani Stores chipped in 10 points (5-8 FG) and six rebounds.

20-20 VISION
Twenty wins have become the standard for UC Irvine women's basketball. After reaching the benchmark twice in 42 seasons, the Anteaters have registered six 20-win campaigns in head coach Tamara Inoue's 10 years at the helm. With their 84-39 victory over Cal Poly on Feb. 12, the 'Eaters hit 20 wins for the fifth-straight season. It also marked the fastest they reached the milestone in program history. With six regular-season games remaining, and sitting at 21-4, UCI is now chasing the school record of 25 wins which was set in 2022-23.

BIG WEST DOMINANCE
UC Irvine also has its sixth-straight season with at least 10 Big West wins. In their 12 conference victories, the Anteaters have been dominant with a +21.6 scoring margin. They held a lead of 20 or more nine times, while finishing with six 20+-point victories, including four by more than 30 - at UC Riverside (77-40), vs. UC Davis (73-42), at Cal State Bakersfield (85-53), and most recently against Cal Poly (84-39). 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 93-27 (.775) at the Bren Events Center. This year, the Anteaters are 12-1, tying the school record for home wins with two more regular-season games remaining at the Bren.

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 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. As of Feb. 16, the 'Eaters are one of 11 NCAA Division I women's basketball teams to have a win streak of at least 16 games this season.

DYNAMIC DUO
Seniors Hunter Hernandez and Jada Wynn have been the top duo in the Big West this year. Through 14 conference games, Hernandez ranks second in the league in scoring (19.4 ppg), while Wynn is fifth (17.1 ppg). Wynn (6.8 rpg) and Hernandez (6.7 rpg) are also among the top-10 in rebounding. In addition, Wynn leads the Big West in 3-pointers made (3.0/game) and 3FG percentage (46%). Overall, Hernandez (457) and Wynn (394) have scored nearly half of UC Irvine's total points. They also combined for 18 of the Anteaters' 19 20-point performances and nine of their 11 double-doubles this season. The duo scored 20+ in the same game against Cal State Bakersfield (Jan. 1), at LBSU (Jan. 8), and at Cal State Fullerton (Feb. 14), 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 1,279 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 (56.3 ppg), and second in scoring offense (72.7 ppg). The Anteaters have finished with 70+ points in 16 of their 25 games, while also holding their opponents to under 60 points on 16 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 19th in all of NCAA Division I in scoring defense and sixth in field goal percentage defense (34.4%).

GETTING TO THE LINE
Through games of Feb. 16, UC Irvine ranks eighth in the nation in free throws made (16.7/game) and ninth in free throw percentage (79.3%). The Anteaters have five or fewer misses from the charity stripe in 18 of their 25 games. Individually, Hunter Hernandez is 23rd in the country and ninth in single-season program history with 120 free throws made. Six 'Eaters are shooting 80% or better at the foul line, led by Ameerah Grant at 86% (49-57).

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 15.8 points per game, while leading the team in rebounding (7.4 rpg), assists (3.8 apg), and 3FG made (65). Her 65 threes rank third in single-season school history. The 6-foot-1 guard has 21 double-figure scoring games, seven 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 41.7% from the field, 42.8% from deep, and 85.6% 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 7.3 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 recovering from an offseason injury, has pulled down 5+ rebounds in 11 of her 15 appearances. On Feb. 7, the Brisbane, Australia, native recorded her first double-double of the year with 12 points and a season-best 13 boards in a win over UC Santa Barbara. She also notched a season-high 18 points against UC San Diego on Jan. 24. Since Jan. 17, Hanson is shooting 45.1% (23-51) from the field, 42.3% (11-26) from deep, and 92.3% (12-13) 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 51 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, 51 of her 56 field goals and 158 of her 170 attempts have been from beyond the arc. In 47 career games played, Madsen has a triple in 35 of them, and drained multiple threes 16 times. The 5-foot-11 guard is averaging 6.8 points, 3.1 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 recently had three-straight double-digit scoring games from Feb. 5-12, with 16 points vs. Cal Poly, 12 vs. UC Santa Barbara, and 12 at Cal State Bakersfield. In those three games, she was 18-for-32 (56.3%) from the field. Nahum has also settled in as a primary playmaker with 3+ assists in 17 of her 25 appearances. She dished out a career-best seven dimes in a win over Colgate on Nov. 29. On the year, Nahum is averaging 7.2 points, 3.3 rebounds, 3.0 assists, and 1.2 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 17.8 ppg. With seven regular-season games remaining, she already has a career-high 427 points, putting her 40 away from joining UCI's top-10 single-season leaders. Hernandez, who is UC Irvine'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.

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 84-21 (.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.

UP NEXT
UC Irvine welcomes CSUN to the Bren Events Center for its final regular-season home game next Thursday, Feb. 26. Tip-off is set for 6 p.m., and the Anteaters will honor their two seniors, Hunter Hernandez and Jada Wynn, following the game.

The 'Eaters then begin a regular-season ending three-game road stretch at UC Santa Barbara on Saturday, Feb. 28.