IRVINE, Calif. – Sophomore Jade Vega scored a career-high 25 points, and Cal State Fullerton erased a one-time 19-point deficit, but the Titans could not stop UC Irvine in the fourth quarter as the Anteaters recorded a 69-62 victory at Bren Events Center on Saturday night, clinching the eighth and final spot in the Big West Conference Women's Basketball Tournament.

The loss ends Cal State Fullerton's season as the Titans conclude the year at 4-25 overall and 1-15 in the Big West Conference. Fullerton placed ninth in the Big West standings, missing the conference tournament for the second straight year.

With the win, Irvine finished the year 5-25 overall and 3-13 in league play to nab the eighth and final spot for the Big West Tournament, which begins Tuesday at Long Beach State.

It looked as if the game would be decided early as the Titans trailed 18-0 before Daeja Smith converted a free throw with 3:44 remaining in the first. The Titans' first field goal was a three-point basket from Vega at the 1:51 mark as UCI's lead was cut down to 16 points.

Vega's long-distance basket started a 33-14 run for Fullerton, as another Vega trey evened the game at 37-37 after less than a minute of action in the third quarter.

In addition to her career and game-high 25-point performance, Vega also set career highs with seven rebounds and five three-pointers while dishing four assists. Smith scored a career-high tying 21 points shooting 7-of-9 from the free-throw line while grabbing eight rebounds.

Irene Chavez led UC Irvine with 21 points, eight rebounds, four three-pointers and four assists, while Shereen Sutherland scored 16 points. Brittany Glassow produced an all-around game of 13 points, eight rebounds and five assists.

The Titans took their first lead, 40-39, when Smith completed a three-point play with 8:16 remaining in the third. A pair of Brooke Bayman free throws tied the game for UCI, 42-42, with 5:55 to play, and both teams were held scoreless for nearly four minutes until Chavez buried a trey for the Anteaters.

Vega responded with back-to-back jumpers, including a long distance bucket, to give Fullerton a 47-45 lead at the start of the fourth quarter.

A four-minute scoring drought in the fourth allowed UC Irvine to build momentum as a tied game at 50-50 turned into a five-point lead for the Anteaters as CSF missed four field goal attempts and turned the ball over three times during the 5-0 run.

Fullerton regained its lead 58-57 with 1:55 to play after an inside bucket from Smith, but another three turnovers in the final two minutes allowed the Anteaters to outscore Fullerton 10-4 the rest of the way.

Notes: Saturday's game was the final for senior Dhanyel Johnson as she scored eight points and grabbed eight rebounds…Cal State Fullerton has missed the Big West Conference Tournament for the second-straight year…Jade Vega set new career highs in points scored (25), three-pointers made (5) and rebounds (7)…Daeja Smith matched a career-high she set Wednesday night at Cal Poly scoring 21 points…Fullerton overcame a 19-point deficit in the game, the largest deficit the Titans have erased this season…Fullerton ends the season 0-13 on the road this year, the first time the program has not won a road game since an 0-14 road effort during the 1999-00 season…the Titans ended the year on 12-game losing streak…Fullerton had seven players available for the game after Iman Lathan left the team earlier this week.

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