LA JOLLA, Calif. – The UC Irvine women's basketball team moved into first place in the Big West standings with a resilient 70-68 victory over UC San Diego Saturday evening at LionTree Arena.
 
The Anteaters improved to 23-4 overall and 14-2 in conference. They are a half-game ahead of UC Davis (14-3) in second, and one game in front of the Tritons.
 
UCSD took the early momentum, starting and finishing the first quarter strong for a 24-17 lead. UC San Diego continued to roll, going up by as many as 13 in the second before UCI got going with a 9-2 run over the final seven minutes of the half to make it a six-point game.
 
The Tritons (18-8, 13-3 Big West) stayed out front in the third and increased their margin back to double digits at the 5:26 mark. The 'Eaters then proceeded to outscore UCSD, 9-0, the rest of the way with seven of those points coming from Hunter Hernandez.
 
Jada Wynn hit a jumper to start the fourth period, giving UC Irvine its first lead since the opening quarter, but UC San Diego answered on the other end. The Anteaters kept battling as they reclaimed a 61-59 edge on an and-1 from Naomy Zonzon-Huyghe with 5:17 left. The Tritons came back to tie it up before another three-point play from Wynn put UCI on top for good.
 
"I'm proud of the team for not giving up when we were down," head coach Tamara Inoue said. "We did a good job of not hanging our heads and chipping away slowly. I thought Naomy came in and did some really good things; she was our spark today. In the third quarter, Hunter kept us in it by making her shots and doing what she does, then Jada did a good job of getting to the line. Overall, the big thing was rebounding. They killed us on the boards in the first half, but we did a better job of matching them in the second."
 
BY THE NUMBERS: Senior Jada Wynn led all players with 20 points and pulled down a team-best eight rebounds. Wynn was 12-of-13 at the free throw line.
 
Senior Hunter Hernandez, who had 11 of the Anteaters' 20 third-quarter points, finished with 18. She also had five boards and two steals. Junior Shirel Nahum added 12 points and two assists. Sophomore Naomy Zonzon-Huyghe and junior Summah Hanson both contributed six points and five rebounds.
 
The 'Eaters didn't have their best shooting night at 37.3% (19-51) overall and 21.4% (3-14) from beyond the arc, but they were able to get to the line. UC Irvine was 29-of-35 at the charity stripe, while UCSD was 12-for-14.
 
After getting out-rebounded 21-12 in the first half, the Anteaters turned it around in the final 20 minutes where they won the battle, 22-13.
 
Makayla Rose paced UCSD with 16 points, while Erin Condron had 14 points and 11 rebounds.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED: UC San Diego scored the first four points before a corner three from Hanson got UC Irvine on the board at the 8:34 mark. The Anteaters kept it close and eventually used a 9-2 run, capped by a triple from Lauryn Madsen, to go up, 14-10. The 'Eaters led for the next three minutes before UCSD outscored UCI, 9-0, to close the first quarter with a 24-17 cushion.
 
The two teams traded points to start the second period. The Tritons then knocked down a 3-pointer to start a 10-2 spurt that put the home team on top, 38-25, with 5:56 remaining. After the media timeout, UC Irvine converted four-straight free throws and continued to chip away as a Hernandez jumper in the final seconds brought the visitors within six at the half (40-34).
 
The Anteaters cut the deficit to four three times in the first few minutes of the third frame with the last coming on a Hanson triple at the 6:50 mark. UC San Diego answered with six-straight points to reclaim a double-digit lead at 55-45. The 'Eaters then held the Tritons scoreless the rest of the way, closing on a 9-0 run to make it a one-point game (55-54).
 
Wynn scored the first bucket of the fourth for UCI's first lead since the 1:30 mark of the opening quarter. UCSD went ahead on its next possession and maintained the edge until an and-1 from Zonzon-Huyghe put UC Irvine up, 61-59. The Anteaters increased their margin to four, but the Tritons came back to tie it up at 63-63. This time it was Wynn who completed the traditional three-point play to give the 'Eaters the lead for good.
 
UC Irvine took its largest lead of the evening at 70-65 following two free throws from Zonzon-Huyghe with 10.9 ticks on the clock. UCSD buried a trey three seconds later, but the Anteaters were able to run out the clock for the win.
 
UP NEXT: UC Irvine hosts CSUN in its final regular-season home game next Thursday, Feb. 26 at the Bren Events Center. Tip-off is set for 6 p.m. and the Anteaters will honor their two seniors, Hunter Hernandez and Jada Wynn, following the game.
 
NOTES
• The Anteaters avenged a 68-66 loss to UCSD on Jan. 24 to split the season series.
• The 'Eaters have won six in a row for the longest active win streak in the Big West.
• UC Irvine had its fourth-straight game with 70+ points.
• UCI trailed by 13 with 5:16 left in the second quarter, marking the largest deficit it has erased in a win this season.
• Jada Wynn registered her eighth 20-point performance of the year.
• Wynn, who is third in single-season school history with 66 made threes, did not connect from distance for the first time since Nov. 9.
• Hunter Hernandez has scored 494 points this year, moving her up to No. 7 among UCI's single-season scoring leaders.