Irvine Women’s Victory Finishes Sweep of Long Beach

UC Irvine was a bit sluggish at times, a little sloppy during other stretches, yet the Anteater women’s basketball team accomplished what it had never done before, a sweep of Long Beach State.

Irvine’s 68-60 victory at the Pyramid Friday was that watershed moment, and it clinched second place in the Big West Conference’s Western Division.

Irvine had to hold off 49er rallies right down to the final minute. The Anteaters (14-9, 9-3) led, 59-47, with four minutes left, but Tomika Cantley’s layup with 34 seconds left pulled Long Beach (6-17, 3-9) within 63-58 with 34 seconds left.

Irvine’s Princess Hatcher, a 46% free-throw shooter, made four in the last 30 seconds to clinch the victory.

“When I got here, I found out right away that Long Beach was our big rival,” senior forward Leticia Oseguera said. “You had to get pumped up for them.”

Yet, when Oseguera came to Irvine, the Anteaters were 0-21 against the 49ers. They are 5-5 the last four seasons and have won the last three games.

Oseguera had a hand in this one, with 15 points and 13 rebounds. But her two biggest plays were on defense. The Anteaters led by as many as 16 points, but were up 49-43 with eight minutes left. Twice Long Beach’s Charel Bailey had the ball down low with a chance to cut it to four, but Oseguera blocked both shots.

Irvine, which never trailed, took control early behind the play of Oseguera, Megan Stafford and Nikole Payton. Stafford finished with 10 points and eight assists. Payton scored 18 points.