So far for vacation, I went shopping with dad yesterday and washed and waxed my car in this morning before tonight’s Women’s Basketball game between the Aggies and UCI Anteaters. Honestly, it’s been tiring. I plan on being out getting the car serviced tomorrow afternoon and going to a party in the evening. I just want to relax. The same thing happened last month when I took a week off for Aggie Sports (11-11-25).
Yesterday, I did listen to the Aggie Coaches Show. Coach Hooten with the Men and Coach Adams with the Women both sounded depressed enough to merit a suicide watch. This was even with the Women being on a two-game winning streak. They’re both unhappy with their teams. I’d noticed the court seemed different going to that last game and found out that it’s a replacement floor. Once again, the main floor water damaged (8-21-21). They’re hoping to get it back before the end of the season.
A painting-quality orange sunset greeted me at the Pan-Am Center. Inside, I was greeted by former Aggie Volleyball player, Sydney McIntosh, working at the courtesy table. I’d come prepared tonight with a sock donation that they’d solicited for. She was pleased with me. She invited me to sign up for a Christmas ornament. The team had made ornaments to giveaway.
It was a lower crowd tonight at 344. Unfortunately this time, the opponent only brought a handful of fans, but they were entertaining. I’ll get to that later. Three of the suites were in use, compared to none last time. The big one was even full. The Band was not here, but half the Cheerleaders and Pistol Pete were. (The Hot Marketing Girl was present, but she looked like she didn’t want to get made up and dressed up today, so she only looked gorgeous.) Adam Young was back at the broadcaster’s table.
UCI came on court to warm up. As Coach Adams said yesterday, they looked big and well-built. Several were pretty, but intimidating. Their 9-2 record was also intimidating. An ROTC Color Guard was on court for the Anthem. The Anteaters lined up on court and locked arms together for it. The Aggies were in the locker room, as usual. An Aggie fan sitting below me was not pleased with this arrangement.
During introductions, they mentioned the UCI Coach, Tamara Inoue. That name sounded familiar. More on that later. The Aggies started their “big” lineup. There’s a pretty trainer on the team this season that I’d noticed before. She walked by on my side of the court before the game. Tonight, she looked rather glamorous. She was a distraction throughout the game.
First Quarter
The scorecard added up again on the first try. How lucky can I get? Behind the UCI bench was their small (three people) cheering section. I think this was the family of Ameerah Grant, judging by the shirts with her number on them. The mom was yelling up a storm for the whole game. Honestly, she was pretty entertaining. She was loud enough that the lack of a bigger crowd made it easy to hear her.
Imani Warren and Lucia Yenes got the scoring going. Anna Csenyi then made a steal on the Aggie end of the court that led to a layup by Lucia. It was physical game to start. Aggie big Morane Dossou collected two quick fouls and Marta Guilera came in for her. Lucia put in another jumper and Emma Christiano came in. Marta made a turnaround jumper in the lane. Jada Wynn for UCI put in a 3 to make it, 10-6 Aggies with 5’ left in the quarter.
Wynn put in another 3. Lucia put in her fourth basket. Emma fouled Grant, who got the bucket and made the free throw. It was tied at 12 with 4’ left. In a Media timeout, a middle school girls team was introduced in crowd. That helped attendance. Back to play, UCI went to a full court press. Marta made an offensive rebound on a miss by Imani. On a second miss, Marta also grabbed it, but fouled in the process, which put the Anteaters in the bonus.
Lucia scored her fifth basket of the quarter. Wynn got called for her second foul. She charged at the ref to complain. They did review the call and it stood. She came out of the game, still talking. Naomy Zonzon-Huyghe picked off a pass and went for a layup for the Anteaters. Emma got in her way (giving up six inches in height) and stopped her without fouling.
Lucia was fouled on the other end and converted on two free throws. She was up to 12 points. The teams traded turnovers. Lucia got the ball after the second one and made a jumper, but the refs blew it dead before the shot. This did not endear them to the crowd. Nikki Stanic came in. She missed a short shot and then missed a 3, but took a charge in the lane that got the bench up and cheering. Marta got a layup, but then got called for her second foul. This was again contested. It was 18-17 Aggies after 10 minutes of play.
Second Quarter
The refs were having an animated discussion on court during the break. They were probably talking about what a great game this was, except for the officiating. A little girl made a nice catch of a t-shirt from the court by a Cheerleader. For Simba Cam right after, she held up Mr. Floppsie. (Well, what else are you going to call a stuffed rabbit?)
Lucia came out and made her first shot of the quarter, however Lauryn Madsen answered with a 3. Lucia next got caught in mid-air indecisive about passing or shooting and ended up turning it over. UCI obligingly also turned it over with a bad pass. Imani came back with a bunny (a short jumper, not a stuffed one). The Aggies forced a turnover by the Aggie bench, but UCI was given the ball back. The bench went crazy in disapproval.
The UCI defense picked up tremendously. I think they were in a zone and seemingly any Aggie with the ball got instantly triple-teamed. Lucia was giving it back to them and accidently smacked a defender in the mouth over a loose ball. The Anteaters had gone up 26-30 with 4’ left. Timeout.
For the Bank-opoly game, the guy got the Roll Again result and then rolled Go to Jail. Everybody else I’ve seen play this game got at least $100. This guy got gypped. The City Middle School Girls Basketball champs were honored on court. Grant’s mom was put on camera during a musical interlude. She was embarrassed. Apparently, the broadcast producer was enjoying watching her, too.
Out of the break, the teams exchanged turnovers again. Lucia then put in another jumper. Wynn got called for a reach in. She jumped up and down before stomping off the court with her third foul. 5’4” Grant, meanwhile, took it down the lane and to the hole for a layup. Her mom was standing and shouting.
Madsen then hit another 3 and it was 28-36 UCI with 2’ left. Imani came back and forced her way to the basket for a layup. Shirel Nahum then hit another 3 for the Anteaters. Imani drew a foul for free throws, but then gave up a foul to put UCI in the bonus. The half ended with UCI up 32-41. Lucia had 19 points.
Halftime
Jack Nixon was again here taking in the game. He was at the scorer’s table studying a stat sheet. PA Ed Carnathan spent several minutes reading off the names of the winners of the players’ ornaments. I was not one of them. Hmph! Well, I’m only slightly bitter. I did spend my time looking up the UCI Coach, Tamara Inoue. She was an Aggie Assistant Coach back when I started coming out games (2015-16) and worked with some successful teams here. I thought that name was familiar.
Third Quarter
UCI forced a turnover to start the second half, but the Aggies forced a shot violation after. Loes Rozing hit a 3 for the Aggies, but Madsen answered right back with one for the Anteaters. Anna hit 3. There were some girls behind me that were fans of hers and they screamed over the shot.
Lucia was blocked on a shot, which led right to Madsen hitting another 3. Next possession, Lucia was knocked to the floor on a foul. She lay there for a minute and seemed exhausted. Grant then fouled Imani. Grant’s mom was incensed with the call. Little Emma took a charge in the lane and got a cheer from the bench.
All that said, the Aggies were still falling further behind, 40-53, with 4’ left. In the break, a really cute girl played the card flip game on court and lost. Have I seen anyone lose that game? Well, she can get by on her looks. Imani ran a layup when play resumed. Emma fought for a tie-up with a much bigger player. She’s a wolverine.
Imani made an interception of an inbounds. Hunter Hernandez hit a 3 for the Anteaters. Emma was fouled and made both of her shots for her first points. UCI then went over the foul limit. Morane made a couple of free throws. Hunter made another 3 before the end of the quarter. 48-63, UCI with a commanding lead.
Fourth Quarter
The Whataburger contest featured another very pretty girl with very long, dark hair, who had the same name as the previous girl (and they were both friends sitting together, which must get confusing). Finally, we had a fan winner tonight. Emma was again yelling at her teammates before play began to motivate them.
Summah Hanson came out and hit a 3 for UCI. Lucia missed her first two shots and was pulled out of the game. She was still on 19 points. Madsen had yet another 3 and Anna answered back with a 3. Timeout Aggies with down, 51-69, with 7’ left in the game. In the break, Grant was chatting with the head ref. I do wonder what the players and refs talk about, since this happens all the time. It might have been a conversation about her mom.
Grant came out the break with a 3, the sixth UCI player with a trey. Her mom was going nuts. Anna hit a pair of 3’s and her cheering section went off, but Wynn dropped in another 3. Lucia was back in and she hit 3 and finally went over 20. 60-79 UCI with 3’ left. Timeout.
Pistol Pete and one of the Cheerleaders probably needed a rest from running out to throw t-shirts for the 3’s. Fan Tom was on Flex Cam, which would be about as ridiculous as myself being on Flex Cam. Grant was fouled and went to nail. Her mom was shouting, “Do it! Do it!” UCI had their bench in, but Coach Inoue was probably afraid to take Grant out and face her mom’s wraith. Keira Hudson made a layup on a nice pass from Marta. Imani got a layup and drew a foul, but missed the FT. The Anteaters dribbled it out for the final seconds and won, 66-83.
The Anteaters had four players in double digits: Ameerah Grant 19, Jada Wynn 17, Lauryn Madsen 15, and Hunter Hernandez 13 with 7 rebounds. They shot 46%, 48% on 3’s (13 of 27), and 91% on free throws (22 of 24). The Aggies had three in double digits: Lucia Yenes 22 with 7 rebounds, Imani Warren 14 with 5 rebounds, and Anna Csenyi 12 on 4 3’s. The Aggies shot 43% and 40% on 3’s (that’s only 6 of 15 though). They had 28 points in the paint and 22 points off turnovers.
You could easily see the problem here tonight with the Aggies: they don’t have enough outside shooting. They’ve got some great inside players, but they can be shut down for stretches when there isn’t an outside shooting threat. The game was decided in one little stretch in the second quarter when the Aggies came up dry for a few minutes. It turned into a three-point shooting contest and it wasn’t even close.
Anna was knocking them down in what was essentially garbage time. She’s gotta do it earlier in the game, and they’ve got to get Nikki on track. I’m watching from the stands and can tell her shots are off when they leave her hands. She’s not seeing the basket correctly. If Nikki needs glasses, she’ll still look hot.
I went home and watched a performance of The Nutcracker on PBS’ Great Performances. Hey, I have some culture! It’s also a bit of a Christmas tradition for me. I prefer the 80’s movie with Maurice Sendak’s designs. This one was okay.
The next night, I went to the company party at Rad Retrocade. The food was great, but I only got to play two games of pinball before I had to leave to take a co-worker back. Rats! I could have stayed late, since I wasn’t going to have to go back to work tonight. (The co-worker also turned out to be allergic to the gift he got.) Regardless, I’ve been busy this week and will hopefully get the next couple of days to rest up.
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