UCI women top Nevada

IRVINE — Miranda Forry had taken just two previous shots in the second half, missing both of them.

But the UC Irvine senior forward, the Anteaters’ most dangerous outside shooter, was who UCI assistant coach Chris Ellis drew up the play for late in the ‘Eaters’ 77-74 nonleague win over Nevada on Saturday night at Bren Events Center.

Coming off screens from Stephanie Duda and Kelly Cochran, Forry was open in front of the UCI bench. She buried the three-pointer, giving UCI a 75-72 lead it wouldn’t relinquish with 28 seconds to play.

The way the ball swished cleanly through the net might as well signify the way the Anteaters’ preseason has gone so far. UCI (4-4) has had much more success, already surpassing the three nonconference wins it accumulated a season ago.

“I would say so, wouldn’t you?” Coach Molly Tuter said. “Our team chemistry is a lot better this year, and my upperclassmen are doing a great job leading. They expect themselves to win. They’re confident people on and off the basketball court, which makes a big difference.

“Overall, tonight was just a pretty good team effort.”

Cochran had a team-high 19 points and 11 rebounds, while Duda added 16 points and 11 boards. The steady senior forward, ranked 10th nationally with 10.9 rebounds per game, notched her sixth straight double-double.

The bench play was also noteworthy, especially after Nevada (5-3) rolled out to an early 20-8 lead. It was then that UCI went on a 14-0 run, including back-to-back baskets by sophomore guard Keyonna Johnson.

Johnson’s 12 points were a season-best and one off a career-high, and she also played solid defense on Nevada standout Dellena Criner (20 points, but 6 of 16 from the field).

“I was just trying to break down their defense, get into the key,” Johnson said. “That’s my way of scoring...It just feels really good to overcome these games early on.”

The game was back-and-forth for much of the second half, but the visiting Wolfpack took a 69-63 lead with 3:40 to go on a driving layup by Mikail Price (a game-high 20 points). The Anteaters, however, immediately responded with a 7-1 run of their own, taking a 71-70 lead on Duda’s three-point play with 2:30 left.

Duda scored again a minute later to knot the score again at 72-72, setting up Forry’s heroics.

After the last of Forry’s three three-pointers on the game, Johnson made a free throw, then Price scored with three seconds left to cut UCI’s lead to 76-74.

Cochran made one of two free throws, but Price’s heave from beyond half court at the buzzer was well off.

Senior Christina Zdenek tied a career high with 13 points off the bench for the winners, who out-rebounded the visitors by a 43-34 margin.

“This was a good team that we played, but we worked harder than them,” Zdenek said. “We wanted it more and we made it happen.”

Nonconference

UC Irvine 77, Nevada 74

Nev– Criner 20, Price 19, Fitzgerald 11, Ward 8, Franklin 4, Lombardi 4, Moore 4, Sitton 2, Keys 2.

3-pt. goals – Criner 3, Ward 2, Fitzgerald 1, Price 1.

Fouled out - None.

Technicals - None.

UCI – Cochran 19, Duda 16, Zdenek 13, Johnson 11, Forry 9, Barnes 4, Maessen 3, Tull 2.

3-pt. goals – Forry 3.

Fouled out - None.

Technicals - None.

Halftime – Nev, 38-30.