The UC Irvine Women’s Basketball team (20-9, 14-5) defeated UC Davis (18-11, 12-7) 55-53 at the Bren Events Center on March 6. The teams previously met on Feb. 1 at the University Credit Union Center in Davis, where the Anteaters inched out a 52-49 victory.
The Anteaters came out aggressive, jumping to an 11-2 start. They imposed their will defensively, pressing the Aggie guards full court and drawing charges. UCI junior guard Hunter Hernandez scored five points during this stretch, including a catch-and-shoot corner three-pointer, prompting a UCD timeout.
UC Davis freshman guard Ryann Bennett sparked an 8-0 run for the Aggies, scoring on a flurry of layups on back-to-back possessions to cut the ‘Eaters’ lead to five.
Bennett remained active defensively, tying up UC Irvine guard Déja Lee for a jump ball, forcing a turnover and sinking both free throws after getting fouled on a drive to the rim on the next possession. She then found junior guard Nya Epps in transition for a layup, further closing the Anteaters’ lead.
In transition, Lee found UCI junior guard Olivia Williams for a three. UC Davis immediately responded as senior guard Sydbey Burns used her off-ball movement to backdoor the Anteater defense for a layup.
UC Davis cut the lead to one after dribble penetration led to an open three for redshirt junior center Megan Norris.
The quarter closed with UC Irvine boasting a 16-15 lead.
UCI graduate student forward Nevaeh Dean remained active on the glass to start the quarter, grabbing an offensive rebound and laying it in. UC Davis answered as Norris knocked down her second three of the game. On the next possession, Aggies freshman guard Avery Sussex scored the dribble pull-up jumper, giving Davis its first lead while 9:07 remained in the first quarter.
The score stayed at 20-18 in favor of Davis for three minutes until UCI sophomore point guard Shirel Nahum scored on a pull-up jumper in the lane. On the next play down, Nahum drove strong to the basket, drawing a foul and converting on both free throws to regain the lead for the home team.
Irvine junior guard Ines Gnahore ended a three-minute scoring drought with a deep three. The Aggies immediately responded as junior forward Ally Fitzgerald popped out for a three-pointer with the shot clock winding down.
UC Davis senior forward Mazatlan Harris tied the game on a broken play, grabbing a rebound and laying the ball in one motion after Williams blocked an Aggie jumpshot.
The half ended with both teams scoring 25-25.
Lee started the third quarter strong for the ‘Eaters, scoring or assisting on the team’s first seven points to help UCI jump to a 32-26 lead.
Hernandez scored her seventh point of the game on a turnaround fadeaway in the lane.
UC Davis kept on fighting, as Epps scored a layup off a steal and a bounce pass from senior guard Tova Sabel. With 3:46 left, Bennett knocked down a catch-and-shoot three to cut the Anteaters’ lead to one.
Davis regained the lead after Sabel converted on a scoop layup. Hernandez responded with her patented midrange jumper.
UC Davis held a one-point lead going into the fourth quarter, 39-38.
Sabel’s momentum from the third quarter carried over to the fourth, hitting a deep three. A minute later, Bennett penetrated the defense before dropping it off to Norris for the layup.
On the next play, Dean banked in a corner three to tie the game at 44, prompting a UC Irvine timeout. With 6:09 left, Bennett slashed inside and finished a scoop layup over the Anteater defense.
UC Davis’ dribble penetration continued to pose issues for Irvine. Sabel drove into the lane before kicking it out to Norris for a pick-and-pop three, giving UCD a 51-44 lead.
Playing with urgency, Lee used her footwork to finish an up-and-under layup, cutting the lead to five.
UC Irvine sophomore forward Summah Hanson knocked down a crucial pick-and-pop three to cut the Aggie lead down to four. On the next possession, Hanson drove baseline and drew a foul, which sent her to the line where she made both free throws.
Down two, the Anteaters got a crucial stop. After securing the rebound, the ball found Lee, who scored a midrange jumper to tie the game at 53.
With the game hanging in the balance, Lee drove right, drawing a double team before kicking it out to senior guard Nikki Tom. Tom, who hadn’t scored all game, knocked down the biggest shot of the game, draining the dribble pull-up jumper to give the ‘Eaters the lead with 1.6 seconds left.
UC Davis used two timeouts and had an opportunity to run a final play, but Bennett’s sideline out-of-bounds pass was intercepted by Hanson, sealing the game for the ‘Eaters — 55-53.
After the game, head coach Tamara Inoue emphasized the significance of securing the double bye.
“The double bye was what we were playing for,” Inoue told New University. “Today was a big game for us and for them.”
Tom spoke about the game-winning shot, the first of her UC Irvine career.
“Before the play even started, Amelia [Sharpf] told me to be ready to shoot. I knew my teammates trusted me to have that moment,” Tom said.
UC Irvine finished the regular season strong at home against UC Santa Barbara on March 8 at the Bren Events Center, winning 62-49. Next up, the Anteaters will be traveling down to Henderson, Nevada to compete in the Big West tournament.
Jaden Hunter is a Sports Staff Writer. He can be reached at jadenh2@uci.edu.
Edited by Jack Fedor and Jaheem Conley