Box Score

IRVINE, Calif. --- Tara Cronin and the Pilots tried to rally in the second half, but the UC Irvine Anteaters would prevail over Portland 73-56 in a non-conference women’s basketball game on Tuesday afternoon at the Bren Center. Cronin led UP with 17 points, 14 of which came during the second half.

 

It’s the first road loss of the season for Portland, which drops to 9-4 overall. UCI improves to 8-4.

 

UP, which had a four-game winning streak snapped, had opened the year by winning its first six games away from the Chiles Center.

 

Trailing by 15 at halftime, the Pilots tried to comeback after the break, pulling within single digits a couple of times. Down 11 with 9:13 to play, Cronin buried a three-pointer to make it an eight-point game. After UCI pushed the lead back to 10, Cronin again pulled the Pilots close with a free throw that made it 56-47 in Irvine’s favor with under eight to play.

 

Portland’s deficit was only 10 with four minutes to play when Natalie Day came up with a big offensive rebound and put-back, but UCI would eventually pull away for the 17-point victory.

 

Cronin hit four three-pointers for the game and shot 6-for-11 overall. Jessica Clemens was the only other Pilot in double figures with 12 points.

 

UP had a little trouble with UC Irvine’s zone defense and shot 37.9 percent (22-for-58) from the floor. UP also hit five three‘s and went 7-for-9 at the foul line. Irvine was 23 of 55 (41.8 percent) overall, 9-for-21 on three’s and 18-for-22 from the charity stripe.

 

Mikah Maly-Karros and Jade Smith-Williams both scored 20 points to lead the Anteaters.

 

The first half started off well, with Portland scoring the game’s first five points on a jumper from Clemens and a three from Cronin. Clemens would soon make it a six-point advantage with a lay-up that made it 11-5 with 12:18 left in the first half.

 

UP would still lead four minutes later when Clemens beat the shot clock with a bank shot that made the score 15-12 with 8:51 left on the clock. That’s when the game’s momentum shifted in Irvine’s favor as the Pilots would go scoreless for the next eight minutes. The Anteaters took advantage with a 20-0 run, giving the hosts a 32-15 lead.

 

Alexis Gannis finally ended the drought with a lay-up with :36 left in the half, making it a 32-17 game at the break.

 

The Pilots next take a few days off for Christmas and will return to action at Portland State on Dec. 28. Tip-off at the Stott Center is set for 7:00 p.m.