Princeton exposes ‘Eaters shortcomings

IRVINE — The education of the UC Irvine women’s basketball team continues. Friday, at least, it was an Ivy League institution doing the schooling.

Visiting Princeton used its superior size and execution to pull away from the Anteaters and breeze to a 78-50 nonconference victory at the Bren Events Center.

If there was a lesson, however, UCI Coach Molly Goodenbour appeared to need more time to digest it, as she rushed to catch a flight afterward. She did, however, provide a quick postgame comment to reporters.

“The best thing I can say about that game is, it’s over” said Goodenbour, who saw her team (1-4) suffer its most lopsided setback of the season.

The game was anything but decided into the first few moments of the second half, as the Anteaters used a 7-2 run to start the second 20-minute period to cut the lead below double digits.

UCI was within 46-37 until Princeton began a 12-3 run with 17:07 left in the game.

Princeton (4-1) eventually built its lead to 32, before UCI scored the final four points of the contest.

The Princeton domination began with the starting lineups, however, as the Tigers trotted out four players 6-foot or taller.

UCI’s starters included only one player taller than 5-10, with senior twins Ka’Jahna and Keyonna Johnson checking in at 5-5 and junior point guard Jade Smith-Williams standing 5-7.

The discrepancy helped Princeton earn a 49-34 rebounding advantage and enabled the visitors to pound the ball inside with regularity and success.

The Tigers did sink seven three-pointers, including four in the final 7:33 of the opening halt to help take a 40-26 edge at intermission. But their other 24 field goals were all inside eight feet, and 15 of those were within arm’s length of the basket.

Princeton center Devona Allgood, a 6-3 sophomore, and 6-0 freshman guard Niveen Rasheed combined to make 15 of 25 field-goal attempts, all but a couple inside the paint.

With a diminished degree of difficulty on their shots, Princeton made 31 of 71 from the field (43.7%).

By contrast, UCI struggled to hit the rim on several point-blank misfires, often hoisting up shots that appeared more designed to try and draw foul calls than to find the bottom of the net.

Smith-Williams (two for 10 from the field for a season-low eight points), 6-4 junior center Kim Barnes (two for seven) and Keyonna Johnson (two for eight) had most of their shots either blocked or altered by taller defenders, five of whom were responsible for the visitors’ five blocks.

One of Smith-Williams’ two field goals was a three-pointer, the only three ball to fall in seven attempts for the ’Eaters, who came in shooting 34.1% from beyond the arc.

Senior Rebecca Maessen was four of nine from the field for eight points.

UCI had nearly double the free-throw attempts produced by Princeton, 24-13, but the hosts made 15 of those (60%), while the Tigers netted nine from the foul line (69.2%).

The Anteaters, who have been taking better care of the ball this season (having committed 92 turnovers to their opponents’ 100 the first four games), had 17 of the game’s 28 turnovers.

UCI freshmen Lauren Spinazze (seven points, three rebounds and a steal) and Jazmyne White (four points and six rebounds, the latter sharing the team lead with junior Raquel Theus) provided a spark off the bench. White, the team’s leading rebounder with six per game, fouled out having played just 18 minutes.

Barnes had just one rebound, more than four below her average and, with six points, continues to struggle with consistency after scoring a career-high 20 in Monday’s 77-75 loss at Cal State Bakersfield.

The Anteaters continue their four-game homestand Monday against South Florida at 5 p.m. Goodenbour’s squad is also at home Thursday against Fresno State and Dec. 5 against Seattle (at Crawford Court).

Nonconference

Princeton 78, UC Irvine 50

Princeton – Micir 15, Edwards 9, Allgood 14, Rasheed 17, Johnson 2, Hill 7, Binkley 5, Stevens 4, Bowen 3, Brown 2.

3-pt. goals – Micir 3, Hill 2, Edwards 1, Binkley 1.

Fouled out – None.

Technicals – None.

UC Irvine – Barnes 6, Maessen 9, Smith-Williams 8, Ke. Johnson 5, Ka. Johnson 4, Spinazze 7, White 4, Theus 4, Belen 3.

3-pt. goals – Smith-Williams 1.

Fouled out – White.

Technicals – None.

Halftime – Princeton, 40-26.