The UC Irvine Women’s basketball team (11-8, 6-2) defeated the Cal Poly Mustangs (1-13, 0-5), 64-52, at the Mott Athletics Center in San Luis Obispo on Jan. 29. This win keeps Irvine in good standing as they are now tied for second with UC San Diego in the Big West conference.
Irvine came out firing to begin the game. Furtive ball movement and aggressive defense came together to form one of the best first quarter performances of the year.
UCI’s offensive attack ran through sophomore forward Sophia Locandro, who used the post to open up cutting lanes and punish defense. Locandro scored and/or assisted on seven of the Anteaters first 10 points while protecting the rim on the defensive end.
With the score standing at 24-4 at the end of quarter, the game seemed destined to be a complete rout.
The ‘Eaters offense evaporated with the arrival of the second quarter. No passes into the post made for horrible spacing and clogged passing lanes. Irvine did not have a successful field goal for the first eight minutes of the quarter.
Fortunately, their defense maintained its suffocating spirit. Aggressive blitzes and full-court pressure held the Mustangs to only 10 points for the entire half while generating 12 turnovers.
With the score standing at 31-10, the Anteaters went into halftime incredibly secure. However, when they stepped back onto the court, the ‘Eaters looked ready to go home. The defensive effort vanished as they started playing incredibly sloppy basketball.
While the second quarter saw uninspired offensive sets with tough shots, the second half saw errant passing and unnecessary fouls. Drives went into the teeth of the defense and kick outs were swallowed by defenders.
The defensive end was even more grim. Without effort, the impenetrable Irvine defense became a layup line: blown assignments and over-helping on poor shooters left massive lanes right to the cup.
The Mustangs scored a jaw-dropping 42 points in the second half, bricking a large number of wide open shots. Despite these struggles, the Anteaters managed to hold onto their lead with some good shooting efforts and a few key foul calls. They escaped with a 12 point victory, 64-52.
This match proves the ‘Eaters need to learn to step on the throat of their opponents if they intend to go any further into the Big West. Their talent is undeniable, but a consistent offensive and defensive identity is necessary to maximize their skillset.
The ‘Eaters will have an opportunity to reassert themselves on Thursday at 7 p.m. when they face off against the UC Santa Barbara Gauchos at the Bren Events Center in Irvine.
Benjamin Hendricks is a 2021-2022 Sports Staff Writer. He can be reached at bahendr1@uci.edu.
