UC Irvine had three players in double figures led by freshman Stephanie
Duda's career-high 18 points as the Anteaters won their first Big West
Conference game of the season, 69-57, over host Cal State Fullerton on
Saturday night at Titan Gym.
The Titans fell to 2-12 overall and 2-3 in league play. The Anteaters
improved to 2-12 overall, 1-5 in the Big West.
Duda added eight rebounds and six steals in 33 minutes to pace the UCI
offense, which shot .467 from the floor and 57 percent from three-point
range for the game. Duda entered the game averaging 4.6 ppg and 3.3 rpg
in 12 games this season.
Senior guard Kristen Green added 17 points and seven assists while Courtney
Ferguson tallied 14 points on the night for UCI. The team's leading scorer,
Christina Callaway, was held to two points and eight rebounds before fouling
out.
Sophomore Amber Pruitt was the lone Titan in double-figures with 10 points
as the offense struggled to shoot 35 percent from the floor, including
just 28 percent (7-for-25) in the first half.
The scoring was spread out with nine of the 11 Titans who appeared in
the game scoring at least three points. Senior Jaime Wagner had a career-high
nine points on a trio of three-pointers while three other Titans added
seven points each.
Fullerton got off to a quick start, jumping out to a 6-0 lead and led
12-7 with 14:24 remaining. The Anteaters battled back, taking their first
lead of the game on a three-point basket by Green at the 7:32 mark to
lead 18-17.
A lay-up by Pruitt gave the Titans the lead back, but that would be the
final field goal Fullerton would muster in the final 5:40 of the opening
period. UCI tied and took the lead on a pair of free throws by Lauren
Yadon and proceeded to score 13 of the next 14 points, surrendering only
a free throw to the Titans' Catherine Holman during that stretch, to lead
33-20 at halftime.
Three-pointers by Wagner started the second half strong for the Titans,
who closed to within nine points on three occassions in the opening five
minutes as the two teams traded baskets.
With Fullerton trailing by nine at 42-33 with 11:28 to go, UC Irvine went
on an 8-2 run over the next 3:45 to open up a 15-point advantage and the
Anteaters never looked back. The Titans would get no closer than nine
points (54-45) with 4:13 remaining.
Cal State Fullerton hits the road next weekend as the Titans travel to
meet conference newcomer Utah State on Thursday (Jan. 22) at 7 p.m. (PST).
It will be the first meeting between the two schools in women's basketball
since the 1986-87 season.
