Women’s Basketball: Anteaters open well
If Tuesday’s season-opening exhibition game is anything close to a microcosm of the UC Irvine women’s basketball season, the Anteaters are in for a strong campaign.
UCI used dominant scoring spurts in the beginning, middle and end to claim a 77-63 victory over visiting Cal Lutheran in front of 213 at the Bren Events Center.
Redshirt sophomore Shereen Sutherland, a transfer from Arizona, came off the bench to produce 15 points and seven rebounds, while senior Madison McKenney and freshman Jenny Dee also chipped in 15 points apiece for the winners.
But Mokun Fajemisin, who missed all but seven games last season due to a knee injury that allowed her to not gain a medical redshirt year, may have been the most impressive player on the floor for the ‘Eaters. Fejemisin, a 6-foot sophomore, made five of her eight field-goal attempts and three of four free throws to finish with 13 points and six rebounds, in only 19 minutes. She also had her team’s two blocked shots.
UCI, which was 17-15 last season, but lost five of its top six scorers, scored the game’s first six points on its way to a 10-1 cushion.
Cal Lutheran, an NCAA Division III program that was 13-13 last season, answered with a 10-2 run that turned into an 18-4 surge that produced a 19-16 lead.
The Regals were up, 29-21, with 5:46 left in the first half, before the ‘Eaters closed the half on a 12-0 run to reclaim a 33-29 advantage.
UCI scored the first two points of the second half, and not long after a pair of three-pointers by Dee, who was fouled and converted the free throw on the second three ball, put the hosts up, 42-31.
Cal Lutheran closed to within 54-49 on the last of its six three-pointers with 9:37 left and narrowed the deficit to 61-58 with 6:03 left.
But McKinney, who came off the bench, scored 10 points to spark a 16-5 UCI run to close out the win.
McKinney netted six of nine field-goal tries, including two of three from three-point range to share the scoring lead with Dee and Sutherland.
Dee, who started, made four of six from threedom to make the most of her 17 minutes.
Sutherland was five of 10 from the field and five of six from the foul line.
“I liked that we got the rust off and I got a chance to see a lot of players who have not played a lot of Division I quality minutes,” UCI Coach Doug Oliver said,. “That was necessary. For some of these kids, it was their first time out and it was fun to watch. We had a lot of nervous energy, and that’s why we didn’t do some things right. But we made some good plays.
UCI committed 10 of its 15 turnovers in the first half. In addition to taking care of the ball better in the second half, the ‘Eaters also shot better, making 16 of 31 field-goal tries (51.6%), including five of eight from three-point range (62.5%).
“I played a lot of kids and different lineups, but we did play to win,” Oliver said. All in all, we made progress.”
Senior Methlyn Onomoguho, the leading scorer among returners after averaging 7.7 points to go with 6.8 rebounds last season, had two points and two rebounds in 29 minutes and did not make a field goal. She did have three assists, one behind sophomore point guard Irene Chavez, who had just one turnover.
UCI plays host to Chapman in another exhibition game on Saturday at 4 p.m., before opening its regular season Nov. 14 at Northern Arizona.
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Exhibition
UC Irvine 77, Cal Lutheran 63
Cal Lu – Messick 0, Salottolo 14, Jacoby 14, Lindor 4, Cruz 2, Porter 12, Owen 6, Hodgson 6, DiBacco 5.
3-pt. goals – Owen 2, Porter 2, Salottolo 1, DiBacco 1.
Fouled out – None.
Technicals – None.
UCI – Dee 15, Glassow 4, Onogomuho 2, Fajemisin 13, Chavez 0, Sutherland 15, McKenney 15, Cheung-Sutton 6, Hicks 5, Kellum 2.
3-pt. goals – Dee 4, McKenney 2.
Fouled out – None.
Technicals – None.
Halftime – 33-29, UCI.