IRVINE — UC Irvine women’s basketball coach Tamara Inoue will never get tired of beating UC Santa Barbara.

The Anteaters took down the Gauchos again on Saturday afternoon in a Big West Conference showdown at the Bren Events Center, holding them to 28.3% shooting and getting double-doubles from Hunter Hernandez and Summah Hanson in a 63-41 victory.

UCI has won 10 of the past 11 meetings against UCSB, which dominated Big West competition from 1997-2012, winning either a regular season or tournament title in 14 of 16 seasons over that span.

That included the stretch when Inoue played at Long Beach State from 2000-02.

In Inoue’s first season as head coach at UCI in 2016-17, the Gauchos won both matchups, but the Anteaters began to turn the tables the following season, splitting their conference games and then taking two of three meetings in 2018-19.

“As a player, we never beat them when I played at Long Beach,” Inoue said. “This is a game we really want to get all the time.”

The Anteaters (19-4 overall, 10-2 Big West) displayed their desire on the defensive end on Saturday, holding the Gauchos (16-6, 8-5) to a season-low point total.

UCI shot just 8 for 30 from 3-point range, but made up for it with a 48-36 edge in rebounds, including 11-4 at the offensive end.

“I thought our defense just really slowed them down,” Inoue said.

UCI came into the game eighth in the nation in field-goal percentage defense at 34.6% and then held UCSB to 25% from the floor in the first half while building a 32-17 lead.

The Gauchos gave UCI point guard Shirel Nahum room to shoot from outside early in the game. The strategy worked as Nahum missed her first six 3-point attempts and the Anteaters missed their first 10 from behind the arc, keeping UCSB within five points early in the second quarter.

After Nahum subbed out and freshman Ameerah Grant came in, UCI followed with a 12-2 run to stretch the lead to 30-15 with 2:09 left in the first half.

“I think (Nahum) was shocked how open she was, so she gave it a second thought,” Inoue said.

After the Anteaters shot 2 for 14 from long range in the first half, Hanson made a 3-pointer on UCI’s first attempt from deep in the second half, and Nahum drilled her first 3-point try after halftime to stretch the lead to 40-17.

“(Nahum) recalibrated at halftime and knew when it was coming to her, she was going to make it,” Inoue said. “That’s a shot she makes all the time, so we have no problem with her shooting it.”

Hernandez finished with 15 points and 10 rebounds for her fourth double-double of the season. Her ability to create her own shot in the halfcourt came in handy as the Anteaters struggled to connect from deep.

“She can go inside or outside whenever we need a bucket,” Inoue said. “Shifty and savvy. One thing she can do really well is she can jump. She can elevate, and so I think that’s what really helps us with her.”

Hanson had 12 points and 13 rebounds for her first double-double of the season. Hanson missed the first 10 games after undergoing foot surgery and is proving she’s close to being fully recovered.

“Love to see more rebounds than points,” Inoue said. “She’s getting better, she’s feeling better, feeling good. It’s just the management of it, but usually after a serious injury or surgery, my experience is it takes about a good year to feel comfortable again, so she’s starting to get there.”

Nahum also scored 12 points for UCI, which reached double digits in conference wins for the sixth straight season.

No UCSB player scored in double figures. Júlia Puente-Valverde led the way with nine points and 10 rebounds.

BIG WEST STANDINGS

Through Saturday, Feb. 7

Team – Overall, Big West

UC San Diego – 17-6, 12-1

UC Irvine – 19-4, 10-2

UC Davis – 17-7, 10-3

Cal State Fullerton – 14-9, 10-3

UC Santa Barbara – 16-6, 8-5

Hawaii – 12-10, 6-6

UC Riverside – 7-16, 5-8

Cal State Northridge – 8-14, 4-9

Long Beach State – 3-19, 2-10

Cal State Bakersfield – 7-16, 2-11

Cal Poly (SLO) – 3-20, 1-12

Related Articles