Irvine Rally Keeps Season Alive, 75-63

With the adversity UC Irvine has gone through this season, from various injuries to Mark Adams’ resignation as women’s coach after seven games, it could have been satisfied just to qualify for the Big West tournament.

But the No. 7-seeded Anteaters went a step further Wednesday, beating No. 6 Utah State, 75-63, in first-round play in front of 586 at the Anaheim Convention Center.

Irvine (8-20) advances to play No. 3 Idaho today. Utah State ends its season 14-14.

“I guess I’m fortunate enough to have a team that never says die,” Irvine interim Coach Molly Tuter said. “We’ve got a million excuses as to reasons why we should give up and go home, but as soon as we need an important play at an important time somebody on our team steps up.”

Irvine looked in trouble when, with less than 12 minutes to play, sophomore guard and leading scorer Angie Ned (23 points) went to the bench with her fourth foul. Utah State used a 13-0 run to take a 52-46 lead.

The Anteaters had one big run left as well, outscoring Utah State, 16-2, in a five-minute stretch.

Brittany Tressler led Utah State with 13 points.

UC Riverside 63, Cal State Fullerton 37 -- Freshman Kemie Nkele scored a career-high 29 points and had 14 rebounds in leading the No. 5 Highlanders past the No. 8 Titans in a first-round game.

Nkele -- who led Riverside (16-12) in scoring, rebounding and blocked shots -- made 12 of 14 shots against the Titans, mostly by sliding off defenders around the baseline and receiving lob passes for layups.

“In regards to her game she hasn’t been a freshman from Day 1,” Riverside Coach John Margaritis said. “She’s had all kinds of press and accolades, but just see how hard she plays. That speaks volumes of her as a person.”

Nkele’s big day made it easy for the other four Highlander starters, all seniors, to concentrate on holding Fullerton to 24.1% shooting.

Amber Pruitt led the Titans (8-20) with 11 points.