COLLEGES:

As the losing streak grew to 12 games and 53 days, the UC Irvine women’s basketball team had more than enough time to analyze, agonize, sympathize and strategize. But players’ meetings, team meetings, coaches’ pep talks and practices failed to produce relief, until Coach Molly Tuter’s Anteaters topped Big West Conference visitor Cal State Northridge, 70-55, Thursday at the Bren Events Center.

UCI followed with a 76-64 conference triumph at Long Beach State Saturday, a game in which the 49ers led, 30-29, at halftime and were up, 47-46, with 10:11 remaining.

But a UCI team that had been searching for someone to step up and make a big shot, saw no fewer than four guards — senior Miranda Forry, sophomore Mary Has, junior Kirian Ishizaki and senior Annie Mai — drain three-pointers in the final 9:29, most with the shot clock winding down, to extend its lead down the stretch.

Junior forward Kelly Cochran and 5-foot-9 senior post Stephanie Duda, who had combined for five points and five field-goal attempts in the first half, each had 14 second-half points. Cochran and Duda were responsible for the first 17 UCI points after intermission.

With Cochran and Duda contained in the first 20 minutes, sophomore guard Rebecca Maessen helped carry the Anteaters early. She scored the first seven points of the game, including the first of her two three-pointers, and finished with 12 first-half points, on five-of-eight shooting from the field.

UCI starters Cochran (19), Duda (14), Maessen (12), Forry (10) and Ishizaki (10) all scored in double figures, while reserves Mai, Has, Keyonna Johnson and Haley Tull also chipped in for a satisfying team victory.

Tuter also praised her team’s defensive effort, which included holding Long Beach State junior guard Karina Figueroa, who had averaged 28.5 points in two regular-season wins over UCI last season, to 12 points. Maessen drew the primary task of defending Figueroa in Tuter’s man-to-man scheme.

UCI shot 41.3% from the field and 43.8% from three-point range (seven for 16), while the 49ers shot just 33.9% from the field and 15.4% from beyond the arc.

Cochran, who missed most of last season with a leg injury after making the Big West All-Freshman team in 2005-06, reflected on how the Anteaters finally put their losing streak, that included five losses by seven or fewer points with one overtime verdict, behind them.

“We did a lot of soul searching,” Cochran said. “Finally, we all just took a step back and tried to look at the big picture, which came down to ‘Why are we playing this game?’ We love each other, so why aren’t we just having fun and playing like we know how to play? Ultimately, we were able to play the game the way it should be played. We’re laughing, having a good time and everyone is excited for each other when we make a big play. That really makes a difference.”

Cochran said the Northridge win helped relieve the pressure that had been mounting.

“We were focusing too much on the scoreboard and the ultimate outcome of winning, rather than focusing on what we need to do in every minute of every possession,” Cochran said.

The smiles and high fives were apparent not only after, but during Saturday’s win. And Cochran said the positive vibrations will carry into this week, when UCI plays host to Cal Poly San Luis Obispo (Thursday) and UC Santa Barbara (Saturday).

“It’s so fun,” Cochran said. “We can’t wait to play Cal Poly. Everyone is really excited and the mood is really good right now on the team.”

 Duda also collected 12 rebounds, seven offensive, to record her conference-leading 13th double-double of the season Saturday.

Despite giving up as many as seven inches to rivals in the post, she had 15 points and 16 boards against Northridge and leads the Anteaters in scoring (12.8 points per game).

Through Sunday’s games, Duda ranks No. 10 nationally in rebounds per game (10.4) and she is the only Big West player to average a double-double. Of her 228 rebounds, 40.4% have come on the offensive end.

 When UCI plays host to Cal Poly Thursday at 7 p.m., it will be Think Pink night, as part of a national campaign to raise awareness and research funds in the fight against breast cancer.

Fans are encouraged to wear pink and breast cancer survivors will be honored at halftime.

 New UCI Athletic Director Mike Izzi saw both basketball games at Long Beach Saturday. His first official day of work was Monday.

BARRY FAULKNER may be reached at (714) 966-4615 or at [email protected].