Women's Basketball Season Ends With 65-60 Overtime Loss To UC Irvine

Thursday, March 1

Riverside, CA

7:00 pm

UC Riverside

5-24, 3-13

UC Irvine

13-16, 9-7

Team	1	2	OT 1	F
UC Irvine	28	20	17	65
UC Riverside	27	21	12	60

Photo by: Gabriel L. Acosta

Women's Basketball Season Ends With 65-60 Overtime Loss To UC Irvine

3/1/2012 7:10:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score

Box Score - UC Irvine 65, UC Riverside 60 (OT)

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Riverside—The UC Riverside Women's Basketball Team was battling for its postseason life Thursday evening, needing a win over visiting UC Irvine, two Cal Sate Fullerton losses and some additional assistance in order to secure a berth in the Big West Conference Tournament. Despite 30 turnovers in regulation, UCR sent the game into overtime, but the Anteaters outscored the Highlanders 17-12 in the bonus period to pick up the 65-60 win.

The Anteaters led 28-27 at the break, and neither team led by more than four points throughout the final 20 minutes of regulation. There were four lead changes in the period, and the Highlanders had their last lead of the game with 1:45 to go in the second, 46-45. Kelly Meggs' three-pointer with 1:23 to go put the 'Eaters up by two, but Brittany Palmer drew a foul with six seconds on the clock, calmly draining two free throws to send the game into overtime.

UCR turned the ball over on three of its first four possessions in OT, and UC Irvine scored the first five points in the extra stanza as the Anteaters never trailed again. Meggs led the UCI offensive charge scoring nine of her game-high 26 points in the final five minutes of play.

Early on it appeared as if the Highlanders might run away with the game, as UCR put together a 13-3 run midway through the first to take a 17-9 lead. Five different players had a hand in the streak led by Jessica Ogunnorin and Palmer's four points apiece. UC Riverside's defense played a key role in the run as it forced four UCI turnovers and four missed shots in the run.

Kiara Belen ended the UCR run with a basket at the 9:20 mark, which started the Anteaters on a 12-0 hot streak of their own.

Dynese Adams' jumper with 4:56 to go ended a six-and-a-half minute scoring drought for the Highlanders cutting the Irvine advantage to two at 21-19. Two minutes later, Ogunnorin's three-pointer capped a 7-0 UCR run which put the Highlanders on top, 24-21.

Despite outshooting the Aneaters 47.8 percent to 37.5 percent in the first half, UCR trailed 28-27 at the break. The Highlanders' Achilles Heal on the night was its inability to take care of the basketball, as UC Riverside comitted 16 turnovers in the first 20 minutes of action which UC Irvine turned into 14 points.

The Highlanders kept things close throughout the second period, but again, turnovers were an issue as the Anteaters turned 14 UCR second half miscues into seven points.

UC Riverside was able to stay in the game by holding UCI to 33 percent shooting from the field on the day and dominating the glass, 47-28.

Anete Klintsone joined Meggs in double figures with 16 points on the night thanks primarily to a 12 of 13 performance at the free throw line.

Brittany Palmer led the Highlanders with a career-high 19 points, and Jessica Ogunnorin added a 12-point, 11-rebound double-double. Jamila Williams also grabbed 11 rebounds for UC Riverside.