Box Score IRVINE, Calif - The University of California, Riverside (UCR) Highlanders women's basketball team hit the road on Friday, January 8 to play the first of a pair of games scheduled against Big West conference foe UC Irvine (UCI). The two-game non-conference series is fleshing out the schedules of both teams who have suffered recent COVID-19 related cancellations. UCR's series against University of Hawaii was canceled due to a positive test on the Rainbow Wahine, and UC Irvine's series against UC Davis was canceled due to Yolo County stay-at-home ordinances. 

  

Thanks to a forceful showing by her young team, Head Coach Nicole Powell secured her first win at the helm of the Highlanders against a conference opponent. She commented, "I am really, really proud of the team getting this win tonight. It's our first win against a Big West opponent, that's a big deal. I was impressed with how tough our team was; getting loose balls, diving on the floor, getting deflections, those things that don't show up in the stats necessarily, but made the difference for us tonight." 

  

The Highlanders jumped out to a 16-6 lead in the first quarter that set the tone for the rest of the game. Jordan Webster put the first points on the board nailing a three and sparking some of the best shooting seen from Coach Powell's Highlanders this season. 

  

UC Riverside extended their lead throughout the second quarter by 17 points. Stifling UCR defense held UC Irvine to another single-digit quarter, letting up just nine points. The Highlanders entered the locker room at the half with a comfortable 33-15 lead. 

  

The Highlanders stretched their impressive lead to 24 in the third quarter when they led 47-23. 

  

Throughout the game, UCR's sharp shooting was bolstered by stalwart defense, that held the Anteaters to under 30% from the field for the first three quarters, and to just 40% in the fourth. 

  

UCI never saw the lead in the game, and only outscored UCR in the final quarter (14-20) as the Anteaters fought hard to close the margin in the final minutes of the game. It wouldn't be enough to overcome the Highlanders. 

  

Looking to tomorrow's game, Coach Powell said, "We are far from where we want to be, we have a lot of work to do, and tomorrow we face the challenge of playing back to back. We're enjoying this win at the moment, but are going to pretty quickly focus up and get ready to fight hard for another W tomorrow."