UC Irvine Aims to Extend Winning Streak Against UC Riverside

IRVINE, Calif. — The UC Irvine Anteaters (17-2, 7-0 Big West) will look to extend their seven-game winning streak when they face the UC Riverside Highlanders (11-8, 4-3 Big West) on Thursday, January 23, 2025, at SRC Arena. The game, scheduled for 10 p.m. ET, will be broadcast on ESPN+.

UC Irvine, currently leading the Big West Conference, has been dominant at home with a 6-1 record. The Anteaters are ranked 22nd nationally in points allowed, giving up just 64.1 points per game. Their defense is anchored by Summah Hanson, who averages 3.8 defensive rebounds per game.

UC Riverside, sitting sixth in the Big West, has struggled on the road, losing three of their last four away games. The Highlanders average 72 points per game, ranking 251st nationally, and are led by Zoe Tillery, who contributes 2.2 assists per game.

The Anteaters have a slight edge in three-point shooting, averaging 6.4 made threes per game compared to UC Riverside’s 5.5. However, the Highlanders allow fewer three-pointers, giving up just 5.6 per game, compared to UC Irvine’s 6.4.

This will be the first conference matchup between the two teams this season. UC Irvine’s Hunter Hernandez leads the team with 14.0 points and 5.8 rebounds per game, while Deja Lee has been a defensive standout, averaging 2.2 steals over the last 10 games.

For UC Riverside, Esther Matarranz has been a key contributor, averaging 6.9 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 1.8 steals per game. Makayla Rose has also been effective from beyond the arc, making 1.0 three-pointer per game over the last 10 contests.

In their last 10 games, the Anteaters have gone 7-3, averaging 61.1 points and shooting 37.9% from the field. The Highlanders, meanwhile, are 6-4 in their last 10, averaging 59.1 points while shooting 39.3%.

The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.