The UC Irvine Women’s Basketball team (12-6, 6-2) defeated California State University, Long Beach (6-12, 1-7) 74-59 in a Black and Blue rivalry game at the Bren Events Center on Jan. 25.
This rivalry game produced the highest attendance in UC Irvine history for a home women’s basketball game, with 2,294 in attendance. The game ranked sixth in attendance for the highest attendance of a UC Irvine athletics event this school year, behind four men’s basketball games and a men’s volleyball game against UCLA,.
CSU Long Beach got off to a hot start as they controlled most of the first half of the first quarter, leading by as much as five points in this period.
The Anteaters tied the game up for the first time, with 13 points each, at around the 4-minute and 40-second mark following a three-pointer by graduate guard Moulayna Johnson Sidi Baba. UC Irvine took their first lead with a jumper made by senior guard Diaba Konate.
Both teams got close to one another in the final minute of the first quarter as CSU Long Beach tied the game, but UC Irvine took the lead going into the second quarter following a layup by senior center Nevaeh Parkinson.
In the first minute of the second quarter, the Beach tied the game up at 19, but Konate answered right back with a jumper to give the Anteaters the lead once again.
Around a minute later, CSU Long Beach tied the game up and took their first lead since the first half of the first quarter. This lead was short-lived, as soon after freshman guard Shirel Nahum made two free throws and a jumper to once again give the Anteaters the lead, 25-23.
For around the next two minutes, few shots were made and the Beach tied the game, but at around the five-minute mark, the Anteaters took the lead once again following a layup by Parkinson.
The two sides struggled to produce much offense in the second half of the second quarter. Going into halftime, the Anteaters led 29-26.
UC Irvine controlled the start of the third quarter, going ahead by as much as five. At around the seven-minute mark, the Beach took their final lead of the game and less than 30 seconds later, Konate made a jumper to give the Anteaters another lead.
A jumper by Johnson Sidi Baba gave the Anteaters a lead which they would hold on to for the rest of the game. This started a 19-0 scoring run, which lasted for the remainder of the third quarter.
Starting the fourth quarter, UC Irvine had a 56-37 lead, which they were able to extend to a 26-point, 65-39 lead by around the seven-minute mark in the quarter.
However, the Beach went on an 8-0 run of their own to close the Anteaters’ lead to 65-47.
CSU Long Beach ended the game on a 5-0 run, but it was not enough to overcome the Anteaters, who won 74-59.
Parkinson was a rebound short of a double-double in the game as she recorded 13 points, nine rebounds and two blocks.
The win for the Anteaters and a UC Irvine men’s basketball win against CSU Long Beach on the same day tied up the 2023-24 Black and Blue rivalry standings at 11 points for each school.
UC Irvine defeated California State University, Northridge at the Premier America Credit Union Arena, 67-63, on Jan. 27. Following the wins against CSU Long Beach and Northridge, UC Irvine has moved into first place in the Big West standings.
The Anteaters were scheduled to return home to face Cal Poly on Feb. 1 at the Bren Events Center. However, Cal Poly forfeited the game as a result of illness among players in their program.
UC Irvine’s next game will be at the Stan Sheriff Center in Honolulu, Hawaii, against Hawai’i on Feb. 3. This will be a rematch of a Jan. 11 game that took place at the Bren Events Center, where Hawai’i defeated UC Irvine 56-49.
Jack Fedor is a Sports Staff Writer. He can be reached at jfedor@uci.edu.
