Fate of UCI star unclear

Discussion about whether junior women’s basketball star Mikah Maly-Karros will play again this season for UC Irvine is ongoing, a source inside the program confirmed Tuesday.

Maly-Karros, a 6-foot-1 forward who leads the Big West Conference in scoring at 19.5 points per game, ranks second in the conference in rebounding (9.7 per contest) and field-goal percentage (51.3%).

She was not with the Anteaters during conference losses at UC Santa Barbara and Cal Poly San Luis Obispo last week and she is not expected to play Thursday when UCI (13-11, 5-7 in conference) plays host to conference rival Pacific.

The reason she was sidelined has not been addressed by the school, but sources said she has not been injured.

UCI Coach Molly Goodenbour has been in discussions with athletic department officials about Maly-Karros’ future in the program since Monday.

Maly-Karros had 27 points and five rebounds in a home loss to Cal State Northridge on Feb. 5, after producing 29 points and eight rebounds in a home win over Cal State Fullerton on Feb. 3. She has 13 double-doubles this season. Through Monday, only 10 Division I players had more.

After opening the season 0-3, UCI won 11 of its next 12, including a 3-0 start in conference play. Since then, UCI has lost seven of nine and is tied for fifth in the nine-team conference.

Maly-Karros earned first-team All-Big West recognition as a sophomore, when she averaged 20.5 points and 11.1 rebounds in 22 games. She tied the school single-game record with 41 points in a first-round Big West Tournament loss to Cal State Fullerton last season.

Maly-Karros transferred to UCI from Loyola Marymount, where she played in seven games during the 2007-08 season.

It is unclear when her future with the program will be resolved.