Beach Drops Road Contest At UC Irvine, 77-62

Thursday, February 19

Irvine, Calif.

6 p.m.

Long Beach State University

3-22,2-13Big West

UC Irvine

22-4,13-2Big West

Long Beach St.

UC Irvine

2/19/2026 8:19:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score

Late push not enough after first-quarter surge by Anteaters

By: Chelsea Pfohl, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications

IRVINE, Calif. -- Long Beach State closed strong in the final quarter, but an early UC Irvine barrage proved decisive as the Beach fell 77-62 on the road Thursday night at the Bren Events Center.

The loss moves Long Beach State to 3-22 overall and 2-13 in Big West play, while UC Irvine improved to 22-4 and 13-2 in conference action.

UC Irvine dictated the tempo from the opening tip, racing out to a 32-12 lead after the first quarter behind scorching perimeter shooting. The Anteaters knocked down six three-pointers in the opening 10 minutes and shot 75 percent from the field in the period, building a cushion the Beach could not erase.

Long Beach State steadied itself in the second quarter, matching UC Irvine with 19 points in the frame. The Beach attacked the paint and drew contact consistently, converting all seven of its free throw attempts in the first half. Still, UC Irvine maintained a 51-31 advantage at the break.

JaQuoia Jones-Brown led the way for Long Beach State with 24 points and seven rebounds, going a perfect 11-for-11 at the free throw line. Tairat Samuel-Afolabi provided an efficient lift off the bench, scoring 11 points on 5-of-7 shooting, while Kennan Ka added nine points and Khylee Pepe contributed eight points and four assists.

Defensively, the Beach showed marked improvement in the third quarter, holding UC Irvine to just three field goals in the period. Long Beach State matched the Anteaters with 10 points in the quarter, holding the deficit at 20 heading into the final 10 minutes.

The Beach's most sustained run came midway through the fourth. A 9-0 stretch trimmed the margin to 15, fueled by timely three-point shooting and interior finishes. Long Beach State shot 6-of-11 from the field and 3-of-4 from beyond the arc in the fourth quarter, outscoring UC Irvine 21-16 over the final period.

For the game, Long Beach State shot 40 percent from the field and went a perfect 17-for-17 from the free throw line. However, UC Irvine's efficiency from deep, combined with 13 fast-break points and a dominant first quarter, ultimately secured the result.