Idaho edges UCI

Barry Faulkner

Tears flowed over what had just ended, but talk of an optimistic

future for the UC Irvine women’s basketball program began just

moments after a 63-50 Big West tournament quarterfinal loss to Idaho

Thursday at the Anaheim Convention Center.

And reasons for such optimism exist both on the court and off.

On the court, the No. 7-seeded Anteaters (8-21), who won four of

their last six, displayed the kind of determination that had typified

their late-season run. They methodically rallied to within 49-44 with

7:01 left after Idaho (18-10), the No. 3 seed, had bolted to a 16-4

advantage and maintained a double-digit lead until just more than 12

minutes remained.

Off the court, UCI Athletic Director Bob Chichester all but

confirmed Interim Coach Molly Tuter would soon have her interim tag

removed , indicating his decision on the matter should come within

the next week.

“[Tuter, a former assistant who took over when Mark Adams resigned

following an 0-7 start], has confirmed a lot of the good feelings

I’ve had about her,” Chichester said. “As important, the women on the

team have confirmed those good feelings. I’m excited about the future

of the program.”

An emotional Tuter was too immersed in the finality of this season

to say much about the future. It took Tuter several seconds to

collect herself enough to speak about having watched senior Ashley

Biggins play her final game.

“Ashley [who bowed out with seven points and a team-high 11

rebounds to go with her seven points, two assists, one block and one

steal], was the first kid I signed here,” Tuter said. “I think she

has overachieved on the court and academically and I think everyone

on our team would say she’s their favorite teammate.” Biggins made

all three field-goal attempts, all in the first half, in her finale.

She dived to save a ball heading out of bounds to help UCI’s late

comeback bid.

UCI sophomore Angie Ned, a second-team all-conference pick who

has, at times carried the team’s offensive load this season, was 3 of

17 from the field to finish with 10 points.

But freshman Haley Tull stepped up to boost the Anteater offense,

sinking 5 of 7 three-point tries, including four in a row in one

stretch after halftime, to post a team-high 15 points.

Junior point guard Melissa Jacob chipped in seven assists and five

rebounds to go with her three points and junior Lauren Yadon added

nine points for the ‘Eaters.

But Idaho, the only Big West team to defeat every conference

opponent this season, sustained its high energy level and rode the

combined efforts of first-team all-conference performers Leilani

Mitchell and Emily Faurholt.

Mitchell, a 5-foot-5 sophomore point guard, collected 27 points,

eight steals and seven assists, hitting 9 of 15 from the field and 3

of 5 from three-point range.

Faurholt, a junior whose 23-point regular-season scoring average

ranked third nationally, contributed 21 points, despite a modest

7-of-22 shooting performance.

“I live in fear of the day they are going to graduate,” Idaho

Coach Dave Divilbliss said of his two standouts. “I’ve been coaching

18 years and had some good players. But I wonder if I’ll ever get two

kids this talented again.” Divilbliss said he did not have to wonder

about whether Irvine would make a run at his team’s lead Thursday.

“[The Anteaters] have been playing with a lot of confidence and

they have a very good and talented basketball team,” Divilbliss said.

“I think they just needed to find themselves and, very clearly, they

did that the last couple weeks. That was a much different team than

their 8-20 record displays. That was a quality win.” Two Tull three

balls, a Ned 15-footer and Joanna Usher’s putback with 10:43 left,

pulled UCI within 47-41.

Another Tull three-pointer with 7:01 left kept the ‘Eaters within

49-44.

But with Idaho up, 51-45, Mitchell and Faurholt netted

three-pointers on back-to-back possessions to help the Vandals

advance to today’s semifinals.

Big West Conference tournament

Quarterfinal

Idaho 63, UC Irvine 50

UC Irvine - Ned 10, Yadon 9, Biggins 7, Jacob 3, Mai 0, Tull 15,

Forry 4, Usher 2.

3-pt. goals - Tull 5, Yadon 2, Ned 1, Jacob 1.

Fouled out - None.

Technicals - None.

Idaho - Faurholt 21, Thoelke 10, Felton 3, Mitchell 27, Westbrooks

0, Sax 2.

3-pt. goals - Mitchell 3, Faurholt 2, Thoelke 2.

Fouled out - None.

Technicals - None.

Halftime - Idaho, 32-21.