NORTHRIDGE – CSUN (5-9) opens Big West Conference women’s basketball play this week with a pair of home games.

Action gets underway when The Matadors host Hawai’i Thursday night at 7:00 p.m. Hawai’i concluded the non-conference schedule with a 70-55 loss to Penn Dec. 31. UH brings a 6-7 record to the mainland to begin conference play.

The Rainbow Wahine are the Big West leader in scoring defense as Hawai’i is only allowing 60.9 points per game. Amy Atwell (11.3) and Julissa Tago (11.2) are 14th and 15th respectively in the Big West in scoring. This is the 21st meeting between CSUN and Hawai’i with the all-time series begin tied at 10.

CSUN welcomes UC Irvine to the Matadome on Saturday at 4:00 p.m. The Anteaters (4-10) broke an eight-game losing streak Monday night when UCI defeated Westcliff 93-41. Sophia Locandro posted a double-double of 22 points and 10 rebounds in only 23 minutes of play.

Lauren Saiki, the Anteaters’ point guard is leading the team in scoring at 11.7 points per game (13th in the Big West). She is averaging 6.5 assists per game which paces the Big West Conference and is fourth in Division I entering this week. This is the 57th meeting between CSUN and UC Irvine with the Matadors leading the all-time series 29-27.

David Gascon will have the call on BigWest.tv. The links for both games will be available on GoMatadors.com.

Matador notes:
Senior De’Jionae Calloway leads the Matadors in several categories as CSUN heads into Big West play. Calloway leads the team in scoring (14.6), rebounding (8.1), and field goal shooting (.483). She is third in the league in rebounding, fourth in field goal shooting, and fifth in scoring.

Senior Hayley Tanabe has broken into the top-10 in CSUN history in minutes played. The 5-4 point guard has played 2,850 minutes, the ninth-most in school history. She has averaged 27.7 minutes played in 97 career games. Tanabe has started 77-of-97 appearances in a CSUN uniform.

Lauren Shymkewicz leads the Matadors and the Big West Conference in blocked shots with 23. The 6-3 senior center is 70th in Division I this week in blocked shots and 76th in blocked shots per game (1.64).

CSUN recorded 25 assists against Hope International Dec. 31. The 25 assists are the sixth-most in a game at the Division I level by the Matadors. The CSUN Division I record for most assists in a game is 26 which has been recorded five times.

~#UniteTheValley~