Women’s Basketball: UCI extends season
The tears came before tipoff for Irene Chavez, as she knew they would.
Ultimately, however, it was smiles that carried Chavez, her four fellow seniors, and the rest of the Anteaters into the postgame locker room, after a seismically shifting 69-62 women’s basketball home victory over Cal State Fullerton at the Bren Events Center on Saturday.
The win clinched the eighth and final berth into the Big West Tournament for the Anteaters (4-25, 2-13 in conference), who would have turned in their gear had they not topped the Titans (4-24, 1-14).
UCI bolted to an 18-0 lead that became a 23-4 bulge after Chavez sank her third three-pointer with 2:18 left in the third quarter.
But the visitors, whose best player, Iman Lathan, left the team earlier in the week, plodded back to pull even, 37-37, early in the second half, and took a 47-45 lead into the fourth quarter.
Fullerton, which bested UCI, 64-53, on Jan. 14, led, 50-48, with 7:29 left.
But after Shereen Sutherland pulled UCI even, 26 seconds later, Andee Ritter made a three-pointer to extend what became a 7-0 run that put the ‘Eaters in control for good.
Chavez scored seven of UCI’s final 11 points to finish with a team-best 21 points. The 5-foot-3 guard also chipped in seven rebounds, four assists and three steals, and had just one turnover in 38 minutes.
Senior Brittany Glassow had all 13 of her points before halftime, when she was five for seven from the field, including three for five from three-point range. Glassow, who has surged to the finish of her final collegiate season, led UCI with eight rebounds.
Sutherland, another senior playing her final home game, had 12 of her 16 points after halftime. She was six for 10 from the field and four for four from the foul line.
Seniors Chloe Kellum (seven rebounds in 12 reserve minutes) and Mckenzie Piper (five rebounds and three points) also helped UCI extend its season, as did freshman Brooke Bayman, who had eight points and a game-high five assists.
UCI, which was denied a Big West Tournament berth last season when it lost a coin flip, will meet No. 5-seeded UC Riverside (5-14, 9-7) to open the tournament on Tuesday at 6 p.m. at Long Beach State.
“The seniors deserved more than having their season end tonight,” first-year UCI Coach Tamara Inoue said. “I coached 100% for my seniors today. I think everyone really came together and did their best.”
Chavez, who said the emotion of the pregame ceremony to honor the seniors brought tears, said she’ll never forget her final home game.
“It was kind of shocking [to lose the lead],” Chavez said. “But we had to stay poised, stick to our game plan and know that we were going to finish this game.”
Big West Conference
UC Irvine 69, Cal State Fullerton 62
SCORE BY QUARTERS
CSF 10 – 22 – 15 – 15 – 62
UCI 24 – 13 – 8 – 24 – 69
CSF – Smith 21, Henderson 2, Vega 25, Jackson 4, Nubla 2, Johnson 8.
3-pt. goals – Vega 5, Jackson 1.
Fouled out – Henderson.
Technicals – None.
UCI – Sutherland 16, Glassow 13, Chavez 21, Ritter 7, Piper 3, Bayman 8, Kellum 1.
3-pt. goals – Chavez 4, Glassow 3, Ritter 1.
Fouled out – Glassow.
Technicals – None.
Halftime – 37-32, UCI.
Twitter: @BarryFaulkner5
