Credit Union 1 Big West Women's Basketball Championship - Semifinal
[1] UC Irvine (26-5, 17-3 Big West) vs.
[4] Hawai'i (21-10, 14-6 Big West)
Date: Friday, March 13
Time: 12 p.m. (PDT)
Location: Lee's Family Forum (5,567) - Henderson, Nev.

Big West Championship Central
Big West Championships - UCI Tournament Info

IRVINE, Calif. - The top-seeded UC Irvine women's basketball team is set to open the 2026 Credit Union 1 Big West Championships in the semifinal round on Friday, March 13. The Anteaters will take on No. 4 seed Hawai'i in a 12 p.m. showdown at Lee's Family Forum in Henderson, Nevada.
 
STARTING FIVE: STORYLINES
• UCI took home three major Big West awards. Hunter Hernandez was named the Big West Player of the Year, while Jada Wynn was tabbed the Newcomer of the Year. Tamara Inoue also earned her second career Coach of the Year award. In addition, Hernandez and Wynn were first-team all-conference selections, and Nohe'alani Stores garnered an All-Freshman Team nod.

• The 'Eaters defeated UC Davis on the road, 70-58, last Saturday to clinch a share of their second Big West regular-season championship in four years. UC Irvine and UC San Diego tied for first with identical 17-3 conference records. The Anteaters held the tiebreaker to earn the No. 1 seed. UCI enters the postseason with a Big West-leading 26-5 overall record. The 26 wins, all against Division I schools, are also a program best.

• Senior Hunter Hernandez has cemented her legacy as one of the most prolific scorers in UCI women's basketball history. At Cal Poly (March 5), she tied the single-game school record with a career-high 41 points. It was the third 40-point game by an 'Eater and first since 2010. Two days later, she dropped a game-high 24 points in the Anteaters' championship-clinching win at UC Davis to make her UC Irvine's all-time single-season leader with 603 points. She also moved into a tie for second in school history with 1,425 career points. In addition, Hernandez broke the program record in career free throws made (385). 

• Three 'Eaters have buried 50+ 3-pointers this season. Jada Wynn leads the way with 71 triples, which is second among UCI's single-season leaders. Sophomore Lauryn Madsen isn't far behind in a tie for third with 68 threes, while Hunter Hernandez sits just outside the top-10 with 53. As a team, the Anteaters rank 18th in the nation in threes made (8.6/gm) and 22nd in 3FG% (35.7%).

• Since 2020-21, UCI has not lost more than five games in Big West play, combining for a conference-best 89-22 (.802) record during that stretch.

POSTSEASON NOTABLES
The Anteaters have earned a top-two seed at the Big West Championships for the sixth-straight year, while they join the 2022-23 squad as the only two teams in program history to enter the tournament as the No. 1 seed. Since 2021, the 'Eaters are 6-4 with three trips to the championship game. They are also 7-4 all-time in the semifinal round. UC Irvine, which is making its 37th appearance in the conference tournament, won the Big West Championship title as the No. 2 seed in 2024 and as the No. 3 seed in 1995.

BIG WEST AWARDS
Senior Hunter Hernandez was named the Big West Women's Basketball Player of the Year. She joined Déja Lee (2023-24) as the only two Anteaters to win the award. Hernandez also became the first 'Eater to receive a third career first-team All-Big West honor. Hernandez ranks second in the conference and 24th in the nation with 19.5 points per game. Senior Jada Wynn was selected as the Big West Newcomer of the Year and earned a first-team all-conference nod. Wynn is averaging 15.0 points, 7.2 rebounds, 3.8 assists, and 1.7 steals per outing. Tamara Inoue collected her second Big West Coach of the Year award, and first since 2021. Nohe'alani Stores rounded out UCI's honorees with a spot on the All-Freshman Team.

SCOUTING THE RAINBOW WAHINE
Fourth-seeded Hawai'i (21-10, 14-6 Big West), which started conference play at 0-5, is one of the hottest teams in the conference. The Rainbow Wahine have won 15 of their last 16 and own the league's longest active win streak at nine games. They defeated No. 5 seed Cal State Fullerton, 72-61, in overtime in Thursday's quarterfinal. Big West Freshman of the Year Bailey Flavell leads the 'Bows in scoring (12.5 ppg), while second-team all-conference selection Imani Perez is tops on the squad in rebounding (5.9 rpg) and blocks (1.7 bpg). UH had a total of five players recognized by the Big West as Ritorya Tamilo was named the Best Sixth Player, Saniyah Neverson garnered second-team recognition, and Keaira Curtis joined Flavell on the All-Freshman Team.

SERIES RECORD
UC Irvine trails in its all-time series with Hawai'i, 40-16. The teams split their two meetings during the regular season with the Anteaters winning, 50-47, at home on Jan. 10, before falling in Honolulu three weeks later, 55-50 (Jan. 29). UCI and UH have met twice in the postseason with the Rainbow Wahine coming out on top in the 2022 championship game and in the 1994 quarterfinals.

LAST TIME OUT
UC Irvine clinched a share of the Big West regular-season championship and the No. 1 seed in the conference tournament with a 70-58 victory at UC Davis last Saturday. It was a record-breaking end to the season as Hunter Hernandez became UCI's all-time single-season scoring leader (603), and the Anteaters earned their program-best 26th victory. With the title and top seed on the line, the 'Eaters delivered under pressure. The Aggies went up early, but UC Irvine proceeded to win the second period, 21-11, for a nine-point lead at the break. The Anteaters stayed in control the rest of the way, holding a double-digit advantage for all but the first minute of the second half. Hernandez was 6-of-15 from the field and a perfect 10-of-10 at the free throw line for a game-high 24 points. Shirel Nahum added 15 points (5-11 FG, 3-4 3FG), while Jada Wynn registered 13 points and five assists. Daniela Falcon Hernandez pulled down a team-best seven rebounds.

40 PIECE
Hunter Hernandez tied the single-game school record with 41 points in last Thursday's 85-65 win at Cal Poly. Hernandez is the third Anteater in program history with a 40-point game as she joined Mikah Maly-Karros (41 on March 10, 2010) and Cheri Graham (41 on Dec. 12, 1983) in the exclusive group. Her 41 points are also tied for the 11th-highest scoring output in all of NCAA Division I women's basketball this season. The San Jose native went 11-for-22 from the field and 16-of-18 at the charity stripe. Her 16 free throws matched the most by an 'Eater in a game, while she passed Katherine Hamilton to become UC Irvine's all-time leader with 375 career free throws made. Two days later, Hernandez added on to her free throw record as she went 10-of-10 from the charity stripe at UC Davis.

SINGLE-SEASON LEADERS
Hunter Hernandez is UC Irvine's all-time single-season leader with 603 points. She is the first Anteater to reach the 600-point benchmark as she broke Cheri Graham's previous record of 593 that stood since 1983-84. Hernandez is also second among UCI's single-season leaders with 170 free throws made. Senior Jada Wynn (71) and sophomore Lauryn Madsen (68) rank among UCI's top-five single-season leaders in 3-pointers made. Wynn is second while Madsen is tied for third. In addition, Wynn has 466 points, putting her one away from cracking the Anteaters' top-10.

THE GOAT
Tamara Inoue is the most accomplished head coach in program history. She is the Anteaters' only two-time Big West Coach of the Year, while her teams have captured the only two Big West regular-season titles in program history (2022-23 & 2025-26). In 2023-24, she also guided UCI to its 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). Inoue now owns a 187-121 career record in her 10th season at the helm. Her .607 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 four of their five national postseason appearances, their first victory in a national postseason tournament (2023 WNIT), and six of their eight 20-win campaigns.

MID-MAJOR RANKINGS
UC Irvine held steady at No. 23 in this week's College Insider Women's Mid-Major Poll. This is the 12th-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.

20-20 VISION
Twenty wins have become the standard for UC Irvine women's basketball. After reaching the benchmark twice in 42 seasons, UCI has 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. The Anteaters closed out the regular season at 26-5, breaking the school record of 25 wins that was also set by an Inoue squad in 2022-23.

BIG WEST DOMINANCE
UC Irvine has its sixth-straight season with at least 10 Big West regular-season wins. In their school-record 17 conference victories, the Anteaters were dominant with a +18.3 scoring margin. They held a lead of at least 20 in 11 of those games, and went on to close out seven wins by 20-plus, including four by more than 30 - at UC Riverside (77-40), vs. UC Davis (73-42), at Cal State Bakersfield (85-53), and vs. Cal Poly (84-39). 

PARTY OF FIVE
On March 9, Hunter Hernandez earned her program record fifth Big West Player of the Week award. She is also the first Big West women's basketball player to win five weekly honors in a season since 2018-19. Hernandez was most recently recognized after averaging 32.5 points in road wins at Cal Poly and UC Davis. She tied UCI's single-game scoring record with 41 points against the Mustangs and went on to break the single-season school record two days later as her game-high 24 points against the Aggies put her at 603 on the year. Hernandez also reset the Anteaters' all-time career record in free throws made at 385. The 5-foot-9 guard had previously earned the distinction on Jan. 12, and received three consecutive player of the week nods from Dec. 8-22, 2025. Hernandez's first of the year came after 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. Hernandez was the first individual to win three-straight Big West Women's Basketball Player of the Week awards since February 2017.

DYNAMIC DUO
Seniors Hunter Hernandez and Jada Wynn have been the top duo in the Big West this year. In conference games only, Hernandez ranked second in the league in scoring (20.9 ppg), while Wynn was sixth (15.6 ppg). Wynn (6.8 rpg) and Hernandez (6.1 rpg) were also among the top-12 in rebounding. Overall, Hernandez (603) and Wynn (466) have combined for 48% of UC Irvine's total points. Together, they have 22 of the Anteaters' 23 individual 20-point performances and nine of their 12 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 into a tie for second in program history with 1,425 career points. On Jan. 22, Hernandez also pulled down her 500th career rebound, making her the 11th 'Eater to join the 1,000-point/500-rebound club.

OFFENSE AND DEFENSE
UCI ranks first in the Big West in scoring offense (71.7 ppg) and second in scoring defense (57.7 ppg). The Anteaters have finished with 70+ points in 20 of their 31 games. They have also held their opponents to under 60 points on 18 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 27th in all of NCAA Division I in scoring defense, eighth in 3FG% defense (26.3%), and 11th in FG% defense (35.6%).

GETTING TO THE LINE
Through games of March 11, UC Irvine ranks third in the nation in free throws made (17.4/game) and sixth in free throw percentage (80.0%). The Anteaters have three or fewer misses from the charity stripe in 16 of their 31 games, including a perfect 15-of-15 performance at UC Davis last Saturday. Individually, Hunter Hernandez is 10th in the country and second in single-season program history with 170 free throws made. Six 'Eaters are shooting 80% or better at the foul line, led by Jada Wynn at 86%, which is 42nd in all of NCAA Division I. Wynn has been even better in crunch time as she is 13-of-13 in the final two minutes of regulation this year.

SENIOR SCORING LEADER
Fifth-year senior Hunter Hernandez has led UCI in scoring 19 times this season. She owns a team-best 28 double-figure scoring games and 14 20-point performances. Hernandez is also the only 'Eater to reach the 30-point benchmark this season. She has done it on four occasions, all on the road - at Cal Poly (41), at UTEP (36), at CSUN (31), and at Cal State Fullerton (30). She has two of the top-five scoring games in program history as her 41 points are tied for first and her 36-point effort is tied for fifth. On the year, Hernandez ranks second in the Big West and 24th in the nation with 19.5 ppg. Her career-high 603 points is a single-season school record. Hernandez, who is the Anteaters' only returning starter, is a three-time first-team All-Big West selection, and made the All-Freshman Team in 2021-22. She missed the 2023-24 season recovering from a second ACL injury.

WYNN-ING FORMULA
After averaging 3.5 points, 2.4 rebounds, and 1.1 assists in two seasons at Texas Tech, senior transfer Jada Wynn is putting up career numbers as an Anteater. She was named the Big West Newcomer of the Year and a first-team all-conference selection after ranking among the top-10 in the league in scoring (15.0 ppg), rebounding (7.2 rpg), assists (3.8 apg), and 3FG made (71). Her 71 threes are also second in single-season school history. The 6-foot-1 guard has 25 double-figure scoring games, eight 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 scored a career-best 25 points. On the year, Wynn is shooting 39% from the field, 40% from deep, and 86% at the free throw line. A local product from Yorba Linda, California, Wynn is the eldest daughter of UCI assistant coach Derek Wynn.

ON POINT
Junior 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 a breakout performance in a 90-75 win over NAU as she finished with a career-high 23 points. She has reached double digits in scoring in six of her last nine outings with 15 at UC Davis (March 7), 18 at UC Santa Barbara (Feb. 28), 12 at UC San Diego (Feb. 21), 16 vs. Cal Poly (Feb. 12), 12 vs. UCSB (Feb. 7), and 12 at Cal State Bakersfield (Feb. 5). Nahum also settled in as a primary playmaker with 3+ assists on 20 occasions. She dished out a career-best seven dimes in a win over Colgate on Nov. 29. On the year, Nahum is averaging 7.6 points, 3.3 rebounds, 3.0 assists, and 1.1 steals.

SHARPSHOOTER
Sophomore Lauryn Madsen is second on the squad, and tied for third in single-season school history with 68 made threes. This year, she has buried five 3-pointers in a game for a career-high 15 points on five occasions. She most recently went 5-for-12 from beyond the arc against CSUN on Feb. 26. Madsen also finished with 15 points vs. Long Beach State (5-7 3FG), at Cal State Bakersfield (5-9 3FG), at New Mexico State (5-8 3FG), and vs. Bowling Green (5-9 3FG). On the year, 68 of her 73 field goals have been from beyond the arc. In 53 career games played, Madsen has a triple in 40 of them, and drained multiple threes 20 times. The 5-foot-11 guard is averaging 7.2 points, 2.9 rebounds, 1.4 assists, and 2.1 steals per contest. Defensively, Madsen leads the 'Eaters with 66 steals, which is ninth in single-season school history. She has recorded multiple takeaways 18 times and swiped 4+ on six occasions with a career-high six at LBSU on Jan. 8.

SUMMAH TIME
Junior Summah Hanson is averaging 7.0 points, 6.1 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 14 of her 20 appearances. The Brisbane, Australia, native has two double-doubles on the year with 12 points and a season-best 13 boards against UCSB (Feb. 7), and 13 points/11 rebounds vs. CSUN (Feb. 26). She also notched a season-high 18 points against UC San Diego on Jan. 24. Hanson was the 2024-25 Big West's Best Sixth Player. 

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 March 12, the 'Eaters are one of 16 NCAA Division I women's basketball teams to have a win streak of at least 16 games this season.

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 for the seventh-straight year, while winning their second regular-season title in the last four seasons. Since 2020-21, UC Irvine has not lost more than five conference games in a regular season, combining for a league-leading 89-22 (.802) record during that stretch. The 'Eaters also advanced to the Big West championship game three times in the last five years, winning it all in 2023-24.

UP NEXT
The two semifinal winners will advance to the Big West championship game at 3 p.m. on Saturday, March 14.