“Eaters Gear Up for UC Riverside Showdown Before Exciting Hawai’i Adventure”


This page was generated automatically, to view the article in its initial position you can visit the link below:
https://ucirvinesports.com/news/2025/1/21/womens-basketball-eaters-home-against-uc-riverside-travel-to-hawai-i
and should you wish to have this article removed from our website please reach out to us


UC Riverside (8-9, 4-3 Big West) at

UC Irvine (12-5, 6-1 Big West)

Date:
 Thursday, Jan. 23
Time: 6 p.m. (PST)
Location: Bren Events Center (5,000) – Irvine, Calif.

UC Irvine (12-5, 6-1 Big West) at

Hawai’i (11-6, 5-2 Big West)

Date:
 Saturday, Jan. 25

Time: 7 p.m. (HT) / 9 p.m. (PST)

Location: SimpliFi Arena at Stan Sheriff Center (10,300) – Honolulu, Hawaii

IRVINE, Calif. – The UC Irvine women’s basketball team concludes its regular-season matchup with UC Riverside by hosting the Highlanders in a 6 p.m. clash at the Bren Events Center on Thursday, Jan. 23. The Anteaters will subsequently proceed to Hawai’i for their inaugural encounter with the Rainbow Wahine on Saturday, Jan. 25.

STARTING FIVE: NARRATIVES

• Since the 2020-21 season, UCI boasts a league-leading cumulative record of 63-15 (.808) in Big West competition. During this timeframe, the ‘Eaters have not suffered more than four conference losses in a single season and have only been swept in a Big West regular-season series on two occasions, both against Hawai’i (2022, 2024).

• Junior Hunter Hernandez leads the Anteaters and sits sixth in The Big West in scoring at an average of 14.0 points per game. Last Saturday, Hernandez achieved her first double-double of the season, and fourth in her career, with 18 points and 10 rebounds in a 59-57 victory over Cal Poly. Her final three points came from a game-winning and-1 with just 1.3 seconds remaining.

• Senior Déja Lee holds a tie for third in the school’s history with 186 career steals. She is on track to set the all-time school record, being only 10 behind Andee Ritter, who achieved a program-high 196 steals from 2015-19. Additionally, Lee ranks seventh in school history with 119 career 3-pointers made and is just 43 points shy of becoming the 15th member of UC Irvine’s 1,000-point club.

• Sophomore Summah Hanson is currently leading The Big West and ranks 14th nationally with a free throw percentage of 91.2%. Hanson has maintained three separate streaks of 10+ consecutive free throws made with a season-best of 16 from Nov. 21-Dec. 15.

• With a triumph on Thursday, UCI would equal its longest winning streak of the season at five games and extend its home winning streak to seven.

SCOUTING THE HIGHLANDERS

UC Riverside (8-9, 4-3 Big West) split its two games last week, winning against UC Santa Barbara, 62-52, then narrowly falling 59-58 to UC San Diego on the road. Junior guard Shelley Duchemin is the only Highlander averaging double figures in scoring, with 11.2 points per game. Senior forward Esther Matarranz has anchored the defense, leading the team with an average of 7.3 rebounds, 1.8 steals, and 0.9 blocks per game.

SCOUTING THE RAINBOW WAHINE

After losing their first two games in the Big West, Hawai’i (11-6, 5-2 Big West) has secured victory in their subsequent five, which includes two road wins at CSUN and Cal State Bakersfield last week. The Rainbow Wahine will take on UC Davis (Jan. 23) before hosting the Anteaters at SimpliFi Arena. Senior guard Lily Wahinekapu is leading UH with stats of 10.5 points, 4.3 rebounds, 2.9 assists, and 1.3 steals per game. Hawai’i ranks within the top-10 nationally for scoring defense (9th, 53.6 ppg) and field goal percentage defense (5th, 33.8%).

SERIES RECORDS

UC Irvine trails 42-29 in their all-time series against UC Riverside. The teams faced each other on January 4, when the Highlanders broke a seven-game losing streak against the Anteaters with a 59-54 victory at SRC Arena. Déja Lee was the leading scorer for the ‘Eaters with 15 points (6-9 FG), alongside four assists and three steals. Shelley Duchemin led UCR with 14 points (5-5 FG).

UCI also trails in its historical matchup against Hawai’i, with a score of 37-15. The Rainbow Wahine completed a sweep of the season series in both 2022 and 2024, while the Anteaters won both encounters in 2023. In their latest clash, Hawai’i bested the ‘Eaters, 55-43, in Honolulu (Feb. 3, 2024). Déja Lee finished with a game-high 21 points, contributing all 13 of UCI’s points in the third quarter. MeiLani McBee led the Rainbow Wahine with 14 points and seven rebounds.

LAST TIME OUT

Hunter Hernandez’s and-1 with 1.3 seconds remaining propelled UC Irvine to a nail-biting 59-57 win over Cal Poly last Saturday at Mott Athletics Center. The match remained close throughout, featuring 14 lead changes, six ties, and neither team leading by more than five points. Olivia Williams connected on two three-pointers within a two-minute window late in the fourth quarter to lift the Anteaters to a 56-54 lead. The Mustangs countered as Ashley Hiraki sank a three-pointer with under a minute left. Following a missed possession, UCI forced a failed three-point attempt at the other end, where Hernandez secured the rebound and promptly called a timeout. The ‘Eaters moved the ball forward, and as the clock ran low, they got it back to Hernandez, who drove the lane for the layup while drawing a foul. She sank the free throw for the 59-57 triumph. Hernandez completed her first double-double of the season with 18 points and 10 rebounds. Déja Lee added 10 points, while Nikki Tom went a perfect 4-for-4 from the field for eight points and recorded three steals. Williams also contributed eight points.

DEFEND THE BREN

From 2017-18 onwards, UCI holds a record of 75-25 (.750) at the Bren Events Center. The Anteaters, who have achieved six consecutive victories on their home court, are currently at 6-1 at BEC this season. They have not suffered more than four losses at home in any of the last seven seasons.

LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN

UC Irvine has emerged as a dominant force in The Big West under the guidance of ninth-year head coach Tamara Inoue. The ‘Eaters finished among the top-two in the conference for each of the past five years, including clinching the first regular-season championship in program history in the 2022-23 season. Since 2020-21, UCI has not lost more than four conference matches in a single season, amassing a league-leading record of 63-15 (.808) during this period. The defending champions, Anteaters have progressed to the final of the Big West tournament three times in the last four years.

DEFENSIVE IDENTITY

UCI finished each of the last two seasons ranked among the top-15 nationally for scoring defense. In 2023-24, the Anteaters allowed an average of 55.7 ppg, placing them 14th in NCAA Division I. In 2022-23, the ‘Eaters ranked seventh in the country with a program record of 53.2 points permitted per game. This season, they have restricted 11 of their 17 competitors to under 60 points, including a season-low of 38 against Cal Poly. As of Jan. 21, UC Irvine is positioned second in The Big West and 24th nationally in scoring defense (55.9 ppg).

RECEIVING VOTES

UC Irvine is currently receiving votes in the College Insider Women’s Mid-Major Poll for the tenth time this season. UCI is the sole Big West institution featured in the RV section this week.

CLIMBING THE RANKS

Ninth-year head coachTamara Inoue holds the second position among the program’s most successful coaches with 152 career wins. She is merely six victories shy of Dean Andrea (158), who directed the team for 13 years from 1978-1991. Inoue has guided UCI to two Big West Championships, four of the Anteaters’ five national postseason appearances, their inaugural win in a national postseason tournament (WNIT), four out of their six 20-win seasons, and set school records for both overall (25) and conference victories (16).

CHASING 1,000

Senior Déja Lee has accumulated 957 career points, leaving her 43 points short of entering the 1,000-point club. Should she achieve this milestone, she would be the first Anteater since Stephanie Duda in 2008 to do so.

GIVE AND TAKE

Déja Lee is the leader at UCI and ranks third in The Big West for both assists (3.1 apg) and steals (2.0 spg). Lee has recorded multiple assists in 14 of 17 games played, and has achieved multiple steals on 11 occasions.

STEALING THE SHOW

Déja Lee is jointly ranked third among UC Irvine’s all-time leaders with 186 career steals, while Nikki Tom is tied for fifth with 180. Both are on track to break the school record of 196 set by Andee Ritter in 2019. Tom entered the program’s top-10 after registering four steals in the season opener against New Mexico State. Lee, who established a single-season school record with 82 steals last season, also made her way into UCI’s top-10 with her 160th career steal at Drexel on Nov. 20.

MAKING IT COUNT

Sophomore Summah Hanson leads The Big West and is 14th in the nation in free throw percentage (91.2%). Hanson has only missed five free throws out of 57 attempts this season. She successfully made her first 12 foul shots of the year before hitting 16 consecutive free throws from Nov. 21 to Dec. 15. 

ON THE HUNT

Junior Hunter Hernandez has seamlessly resumed her presence on the court. Hernandez, who missed the 2023-24 season rehabilitating from a knee injury sustained on Feb. 15, 2023, leads the team in scoring (14.0 ppg) and rebounding (5.8 rpg). The 5-foot-9 guard has scored in double digits in 12 out of her 15 games, including two performances of 20 points. In a 72-55 victory over William & Mary on Nov. 11, Hernandez posted a career-high of 29 points, along with 20 points at Penn on Nov. 21. Additionally, she registered her fourth career double-double with 18 points and 10 rebounds at Cal Poly (Jan. 18).

SUMMAH TIME

Summah Hanson has made an instant impact at UC Irvine, positioned second on the team in scoring (10.8 ppg) and rebounding (5.3 rpg). Hanson, a sophomore transfer from Sacramento State, has reached double figures in scoring on eight occasions, recording a season-high of 20 points at Penn on Nov. 21. The 6-foot-3 forward also contributed 10 rebounds against the Quakers for the Anteaters’ initial double-double of the season. Her performance earned her The Big West Player of the Week accolade (Nov. 25). 

STEADY HAND

Defending Big West Player of the Year Déja Lee has remained a reliable presence in all aspects of the game for the Anteaters, averaging 10.4 points, 3.6 rebounds, 3.1 assists, and 2.0 steals. Lee has reached double figures in scoring for five consecutive contests, obtaining a season-high of 20 points at New Mexico, shooting 7-for-12 from the field and 3-of-5 from beyond the arc. The 5-foot-9 point guard also grabbed a career-high of nine rebounds at Cal State Bakersfield on Dec. 5. Furthermore, she has recorded a season-best six assists on two separate occasions. Lee ranks tied for third in program history in career steals (186) and seventh in three-pointers made (119).

THREE-POINT THREAT

Junior Olivia Williams leads the team in three-pointers made (29) and shooting efficiency at 37.7% (minimum 5 3FG). She has connected on multiple threes on 10 occasions, matching her career-high of four against Saint Mary’s (4-6) and New Mexico (4-7). Williams’ performance in the season opener on Nov. 4 marked her return since enduring a knee injury in the opening quarter at Hawai’i on Jan. 19, 2023. The 6-foot-1 guard, averaging 9.1 ppg, has reached double digits in scoring seven times, including three consecutive games from Jan. 2-9. She recorded a career-high of 18 points at UNM on Nov. 27.

IRON WOMAN

Senior Nikki Tom has participated in every game since joining UC Irvine in 2021-22. With 114 consecutive games, 91 starts, and 3,310 minutes played, she holds the record among UCI’s active players. This season, Tom ranks second on the team in assists (40) and steals (23). The Fresno, California, native has also found her offensive rhythm, posting a season-high of 11 points against UC San Diego (Jan. 11), 10 against Cal State Fullerton (Jan. 16), and 10 against Cal Poly (Jan. 18). In the last three games, Tom has shot 64.3% (9-14) from the field, 57.1% (4-7) from three-point range, and 87.5% (7-8) from the foul line.

DEAN DELIVERS

Graduate student Nevaeh Dean is posting a career-high of 5.2 points and 4.6 rebounds per game. She has grabbed 5+ rebounds on 10 occasions, with a season-best of nine in a 72-68 overtime win at Penn. Dean has also recorded three double-digit scoring games, achieving a season-high of 11 at Drexel (Nov. 20), and 10 points against both Saint Mary’s (Nov. 16) and UC San Diego (Jan. 11). In those three games, the 6-foot-2 forward has combined to go 15-for-25 (60%) from the field. Dean has started in 80 out of 81 games played during her time at UC Irvine, having transferred from Cincinnati before the 2022-23 season. 

UP NEXT

UC Irvine is scheduled to compete against two of the top three teams in The Big West next week. The Anteaters will host Long Beach State on Thursday, Jan. 30, followed by a visit to UC Davis on Saturday, Feb. 1.


This page was generated programmatically, to view the article in its original location, you can follow the link below:
https://ucirvinesports.com/news/2025/1/21/womens-basketball-eaters-home-against-uc-riverside-travel-to-hawai-i
and if you wish to remove this article from our site, please contact us

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *