DAVIS, Calif. – UC Irvine women's basketball clinched a share of the Big West regular season championship and the No. 1 seed in next week's conference tournament with a 70-58 win over UC Davis Saturday at the University Credit Union Center.
 
It was a record-breaking end to the regular season as senior Hunter Hernandez became UCI's all-time single-season scoring leader, and the Anteaters earned their program-best 26th victory. This is UC Irvine's second Big West regular-season title in four years.
 
"The regular season is a grind with 20 games, so to win it is a testament to this team's focus and belief," head coach Tamara Inoue said. "And having to finish it with a win at UC Davis, who are always championship contenders, it means so much more."

The 'Eaters and UC San Diego are co-champions with identical 17-3 conference records, but the Anteaters earned the No. 1 seed on a tiebreaker. The Aggies finished two games back in third.
 
With the title and top seed on the line, UC Irvine (26-5, 17-3 Big West) delivered under pressure. UC Davis went up early, but UCI outscored the home team 21-11 in the second period to take 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.
 
BY THE NUMBERS: Hunter Hernandez led all players with 24 points. She went 6-for-15 from the field and a perfect 10-of-10 at the free throw line. Hernandez added six rebounds, three assists, and three steals.
 
Junior Shirel Nahum also had 15 points (5-11 FG, 3-4 3FG), six boards, and three assists, while senior Jada Wynn registered 13 points and five assists. Sophomore Lauryn Madsen knocked down three triples for nine points, and sophomore Daniela Falcon Hernandez pulled down a team-best seven rebounds.
 
UC Irvine shot 43.1% overall and was even better from beyond the arc where it was 11-of-22. The Anteaters made all 15 of their free throws. They also won the battle on the boards, 34-26, and owned a 10-0 advantage in second-chance points.
 
UC Davis (22-9, 15-5 Big West) finished the game with a 39.2 field goal percentage and was just 3-of-23 from distance. The Aggies were also 15-for-15 at the foul line. Nya Epps notched a team-best 21 points.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED: It went back-and-forth with six lead changes and two ties through the first four minutes. UC Davis then used an 8-0 spurt to go up 14-7 at the 4:27 mark. UC Irvine responded with an 11-3 run, capped by a Madsen 3-pointer, to reclaim the lead at 19-17. The Aggies then closed the opening quarter with an and-1 to go back on top, 20-19.
 
Hernandez started the second period with five-straight points to give the Anteaters a 24-20 advantage with 7:30 to play. UCD eventually tied it up at 27-all, but Madsen buried another triple to put the 'Eaters on top. UCI then outscored the home team, 10-4, over the final 3:50 for a 40-31 cushion at the half. Nahum scored five points, while Wynn knocked down a triple during that stretch.
 
After UC Davis got on the board to start the third frame, UC Irvine reeled off 10 unanswered with a Wynn triple giving the Anteaters a 50-33 lead at the 5:12 mark. The 'Eaters led by double digits the rest of the way en route to the championship clinching win.
 
UP NEXT: UCI will be the No. 1 seed in next week's Credit Union 1 Big West Championship at Lee's Family Forum in Henderson, Nevada. The Anteaters receive a double-bye into the first semifinal game on Friday, March 13, at 12 p.m.
 
NOTES
• Hunter Hernandez recorded her third-straight 20-point game.
• Hernandez is the only player in program history to reach 600 points in a season (603).
• Lauryn Madsen moved into a tie for third in single-season school history with 68 3-pointers.
• Shirel Nahum has reached double figures in scoring in six of her last nine outings.
• UC Irvine used a different starting lineup for the second-straight game.
• The Anteaters swept their regular season series with UC Davis for the second-straight year.