Preview: UC Irvine Faces UC San Diego in Key Big West Women’s Basketball Clash SAN DIEGO (Interstat) — A high-stakes Big West Conference rematch is set for Saturday when the No. 15-ranked UC Irvine Anteaters visit the UC San Diego Tritons at RIMAC Arena. The Anteaters (22-4, 11-2 Big West), one of the nation’s top mid-major teams, enter on a five-game winning streak, including a 77-62 victory over Long Beach State on Thursday. Their potent offense, which has scored 77 or more points in three of their last five outings, will be tested by a Tritons squad that handed them one of their two conference losses this season. UC San Diego (18-7, 10-3) edged UC Irvine 68-66 on Jan. 24 in Irvine. That result tightened the conference race and gives the Tritons confidence heading into the home leg of the series. They are coming off a 79-68 road win at UC Riverside on Feb. 14. A player to watch for the Tritons is Lev Feiman, who erupted for 20 points in just 20 minutes off the bench in the win over UC Riverside. Her scoring spark provides a key complement to consistent performers like Makayla Rose, who had 24 points in that game. UC Irvine has been dominant since the late-January loss to UCSD, winning by an average margin of 19.2 points during their current streak. Their balanced attack has overwhelmed most conference foes. This matchup features the league’s top two teams in the standings and could have significant implications for seeding in the upcoming Big West tournament. UC San Diego will aim to protect its home court and complete the regular-season sweep, while UC Irvine seeks to avenge its earlier loss and solidify its hold on first place. Tip-off is scheduled for 4 p.m. PST on Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026.