SOUTHLAND PREVIEW : UC IRVINE

The UC Irvine women’s team averaged more points (65.4) last season than it had in almost a decade and three Anteaters scored 30 points or more in a game. And all it got them was a 2-24 overall record and a 1-17 Big West mark.

“I think we were better than our record last year,” Coach Colleen Matsuhara said, “but our inexperience really showed in the latter parts of games at very crucial times.”

There seems only one way to go in 1993-94, but victories will not come easily for Irvine, which lacks size and experience. The Anteaters play a rugged nonconference schedule, they have only one player taller than 6 feet and only four upperclassmen.

“The post position is a real challenge for us,” Matsuhara said. “We lost Yvonne Catala, our leading scorer and rebounder. (Allah-mi) Basheer, who was hurt last year, has to come back strong and I told Nyambo Anuluoha, a freshman who comes from a State championship team at (Playa del Rey) St. Bernard, that the opportunity is there for her to step in and get some of those rebounds that Yvonne used to get.”

Matsuhara also is hoping the Anteaters will play smarter than last season, when they averaged 25 turnovers.

Guard Karie Yoshioka, the lone senior, is expected to provide the outside scoring. She averaged 11.6 points, 3.4 assists and made 35 three-pointers last season. Junior forward Jinelle Williams is only 5-9, but she’s the top returning rebounder and scorer (12 points, eight rebounds). Matsuhara has great expectations for freshman Sherise Sandoz, a 5-8 forward who averaged 25 points and 16 rebounds as a senior at Downey Pius X High.