UCI women try to get out of cellar at Long Beach

UC Irvine at Long Beach State

When: today, 5 p.m.

Where: Walter Pyramid

Breakdown: The Anteaters and 49ers are tied for last place in the Big West Conference entering the Black and Blue Rivalry series clash ... UCI (4-16, 1-6 in conference) earned its lone Big West win with a 48-46 home triumph over Cal State Northridge Saturday ... The 49ers (4-15, 1-6) won at Cal State Fullerton, 54-51, Thursday for their first conference win ... UCI is paced by junior guard Rebecca Maessen (12.5 points per game) ... UCI’s Kim Barnes, a 6-foot-4, sophomore center, has averaged 10.5 points the last two games, including the game-winning basket against Northridge. She is 10 for 19 from the field in those two games ... UCI is playing without junior Mary Has (12.1 ppg and a team-best 5.5 rebounds in 16 games, before being sidelined with a torn ACL). Has underwent successful surgery Thursday and is expected to return next season ... Long Beach State is led by 6-1 junior forward Whitney Fields (11.6 ppg) and 5-11 junior guard Courtney Jacob (10.6 ppg).

— Barry Faulkner