Shorthanded UC Irvine Women Open PCAA Tournament Against SDSU

The UC Irvine women’s basketball team, which finished fourth in the Pacific Coast Athletic Assn. despite suiting up just 6 players for 10 games, opens play in the PCAA Tournament at 9 tonight against San Diego State in the Cal State Long Beach gym.

The Anteaters (6-8 in conference, 14-13 overall) split their regular-season series with the Aztecs, losing to them at Irvine, 57-52, and beating them at San Diego, 82-69. Irvine has been led by guard Valerie Dehn, who is averaging 14.6 points per game, and center Natalie Crawford, who is averaging 13.6 points on the season but 18 in her last five games.

Forward Cheri Graham, who was in the school’s infirmary with bronchitis from last Thursday to Sunday, practiced Tuesday and Wednesday and should play tonight. That will give UCI Coach Dean Andrea seven players. Three players left the team, two before the season, and Zalina Walton suffered a season-ending injury in December.

Other first-round games feature the Nevada Las Vegas vs. the University of the Pacific (1 p.m.) and Cal State Long Beach vs. UC Santa Barbara (7 p.m.). Friday’s semifinals and Saturday morning’s championship game (11 a.m.) are at the Forum, with the winner earning an automatic berth to the NCAA Tournament.