RIVERSIDE, Calif.—In an important pair of games, the UC Riverside Women's Basketball team will take on UC Irvine at the SRC Arena on Thursday at 7 p.m. and then travel to CSUN on Saturday for a 7 p.m. contest.

Still looking for their first Big West Conference win, the Highlanders (6-10) have begun conference play with loses to UC Davis and Long Beach State.  

Defense has been a strength of the team so far this season, with it either leading or in the top three of every major defensive category. The team's defensive prowess is something it will lean on against UC Irvine and CSUN.

UC Irvine is currently at the top of the leaderboard in the Big West with a 12-2 overall record and a 2-0 conference record, marking its best overall start in program history. The team is led by Jordan Sanders, who has scored 20 or more points seven times this season, making her second in the Big West and 16th in the nation with a scoring an average of 20.4 points per game. Against CSUN in its last game, the Anteaters mounted a late fourth-quarter comeback, outscoring CSUN 16-3 over the final five minutes for a 65-61 victory.

Coming off that loss, the Matadors have a 7-9 record and are 1-1 in conference play. The Highlanders will look to neutralize Channon Fluker, who is averaging 15.9 points per game. She is the only Matador to average double digits and has won Player of the Week honors once this season.

OFFENSIVE GLASS
Daphne Gnago has more offensive rebounds (52) so far this season than defensive rebounds (44). She is third in the conference with an average of 3.3 offensive rebounds per game.

ASSISTING SUCCESS
UCR has out-assisted opponents so far this season. The team is averaging 14.1 assists, while opponents are averaging just 12.3. The team is also fourth in the conference in assists/turnover ratio (+1.0).

DEFENSIVE DOMINANCE
The Highlanders are first in the Big West in scoring defense (62.5 ppg) and second in defensive field goal percentage, with a .376 average.

REBOUNDING RATE
The Highlanders have three student-athletes in the Top 10 in rebounds/game. Marina Ewodo is fourth (7.2), Jannon Otto is eighth (6.3) and Daphne Gnago is 10th (6.0).

TURNOVER MARGIN
The Highlanders have the third-best turnover margin (1.3) in the Big West, averaging 14.6 turnovers a game, while the opposition is averaging 15.9.