Naomi Panganiban snapped a 55-55 tie with a pair of free throws with 33.2 seconds to play Thursday night and Nala Williams added four insurance free throws in the final 20.3 seconds as San Diego State defeated UC Irvine 61-55 at the University of San Diego in the first round of the Women’s Basketball Invitation Tournament.
The Aztecs return to the Jenny Craig Pavilion Sunday at 2 p.m. to host McNeese State in the second round. SDSU is playing across town because Viejas Arena is hosting the first and second rounds of the men’s NCAA Tournament.
Panganiban was taking a 15-foot shot from the left side of the basket when she was hit on the arm by Irvine’s Shirel Nahum.
The La Jolla Country Day then hit her eighth and ninth straight free throws for the game to put the 26-5 Aztecs ahead to stay. Twelve seconds later Williams was fouled by Hunter Hernandez, a mistake that forced the Anteaters’ leading scorer out of the game with five fouls.
Williams’ game-clinching four free throws capped a 13-for-13 night for the Aztecs from the charity stripe. UC Irvine, which finished the season 26-7, was 9-for-9 from the foul line.
“Free throws were key in the second half,” said San Diego State coach Stacie Terry-Hutson. “That was a really good win against a very good team.”
San Diego State players celebrate after defeating UC Irvine during the first round of the WBIT at Jenny Craig Pavilion on Thursday, March 19, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Meg McLaughlin / The San Diego Union-Tribune)
UC Irvine was leading 48-45 when Aztec forward Bailey Barnhard scored back-to-back baskets and Panganiban made it 51-48. Hernandez put the visitors back on top at 55-53 before Kennedy Lee tied the game a final time on a drive with 1:21 to go.
“Our goal was to get Bailey the ball more early in the game because we thought we made a mismatch,” said Terry-Hutson. “That didn’t work out, but she came up big when we really needed her.”
Panganiban led the Aztecs with 22 points, her seventh 20-point game of the season. Lee finished with 11 points and eight rebounds despite suffering a welt outside her left eye on a third-quarter foul. Barnhard had eight points, nine rebounds and five assists. Williams had eight points and three assists.
Hernandez finished with 19 points for UCI. Fellow guard Jada Wynn had 12.
Nat Martinez #10 of San Diego State collides with Shirel Nahum #12 of UC Irvine during the first round of the WBIT at Jenny Craig Pavilion on Thursday, March 19, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Meg McLaughlin / The San Diego Union-Tribune)
Both teams had problems finding the range in a 14-14 first quarter. But the Aztecs opened the second quarter on a 9-0 run on three-point baskets by CJ Latta and Lee followed by a basket and a free throw by Naomi Panganiban.
But Panganiban’s basket at 6:40 was the Aztecs’ last of the first half. They missed their last eight shots from the floor and didn’t score over the last 4:23. Panganiban led the Aztecs with nine points, including going 7-for-7 from the foul line. Hernandez scored UCI’s first eight points and had 10 by intermission.
Irvine had a 42-37 lead near the end of the third quarter when Nat Martinez and Panganiban put the Aztecs up on back-to-back threes.
Visiting McNeese State (29-5) upset No. 1 seed Texas A&M 68-48 Thursday night to earn Sunday afternoon’s date against the Aztecs.