Wednesday was a great night for Orange County women’s basketball. Just a little better for UC Irvine than Cal State Fullerton.
The teams met in a Big West Tournament quarterfinal and put on an offensive gala, each team seeming determined to run the other out of the brand-new Dollar Loan Center in Henderson, Nevada.
UCI used an 11-0 run in the second quarter to create some breathing room and extended its lead to 19 points after three quarters. But the seventh-seeded Titans never bowed and got within nine points before the second-seeded Anteaters closed out an 80-68 win.
UCI (20-10) advances to a Friday afternoon semifinal against the winner of Wednesday’s late game between No. 3 seed Long Beach State and No. 6 UC Davis. The Anteaters are two wins away from their first trip to the NCAA Tournament.
“Fullerton never goes away,” UCI coach Tamara Inoue said. “They always finish the game, regardless of the score.
“But I was happy with the way we played. We were good rebounding, putting the ball back up and giving ourselves chances. We have a lot of depth and had a lot of players contribute.”
No one more than guard Kayla Williams. The first-team All-Big West guard led the team with 22 points and had seven rebounds and four assists, and she sparked the second-quarter run.
She scored on a mid-range jumper, followed that with a deep 3-pointer and then scored on a drive and scoop, giving the Anteaters some space against a determined Titans team.
“She’s our floor general,” Inoue said. “She manages the transition and is in control from the high post.”
“I just try to take care of the ball, it’s the best approach for me, seeing that everyone is in the right position,” Williams said.
Inoue used her bench liberally and 10 players scored. Reserve Hunter Hernandez had 15 points and seven rebounds, Sophia Locandro had eight points and eight rebounds and Chloe Webb had 10 rebounds off the bench.
Freshman Lily Wahinekapu had 26 points, seven rebounds and four assists to pace Fullerton (11-18). Carolyn Gill scored 13 and Ashlee Lewis had 11 points and nine rebounds.
Both teams started at a brisk pace. It made for exciting basketball, both teams in third gear trying to beat each other down court. UCI just had an additional gear.
The Titans put on a rush to end the first quarter to get within 17-15. The game remained tight until the Titans hit a speed bump as Williams was showing off her range during the 11-0 run.
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The Anteaters shot 51% in the first half and took a 13-point lead into the second. Fullerton slowed the pace, but the Anteaters still dominated, using a 10-0 run to open a 19-point lead after three quarters.
The Anteaters had a 47-34 rebounding advantage and the difference was as much as 20 before the fourth quarter.
“They are a tough and well-balanced team,” Fullerton coach Jeff Harada said. “But we competed. We got down early but stayed competitive. We never quit. That’s our identity.
“What we went through this season was a learning experience for a young team that I think will make them better. We have to learn how to finish in close games.”