Men’s college basketball: ‘Eaters rip Idaho

MOSCOW, Idaho - On the heels of their biggest victory of the

season, there was no emotional letdown Saturday night for the visiting UC

Irvine Anteaters as they whipped the University of Idaho, 92-54, to

remain perfect in Big West Conference men’s basketball before 1,322 at

Cowan Spectrum.

UCI senior guard Jerry Green, the All-American candidate who stunned

the home crowd Thursday in Logan, Utah, with a buzzer-beating shot to end

Utah State’s 31-game home winning streak, played a supporting role in

this one as 6-foot-4 junior guard Mike Hood blitzed the Vandals with a

career-high 25 points.

Hood, a transfer from College of Southern Idaho, was sizzling from the

start, hitting 4 of 5 three-point attempts in the first half as UCI built

a 46-23 halftime lead.

Coach Pat Douglass’ Anteaters (12-4, 5-0 in the Big West), who won

their seventh straight game, continued in their quest to repeat as

conference champions, winning by their largest margin of the season and

enjoying their biggest margin of victory ever in a Big West Conference

game.

UCI’s 38-point win was its biggest overall since the ‘Eaters defeated

Hawaii-Hilo, 116-70, on Dec. 10, 1981, and the school’s largest margin of

victory overall on the road since beating Chico State, 118-79, on Nov.

30, ‘81, during the Bill Mulligan-Kevin Magee era.

UCI, 20-1 in conference and 37-9 overall in the last 1 1/2 years,

scored 46 points in each half and shot 65% from the floor (32 of 49),

including a blazing 77% (17 of 22) in the second half. The ‘Eaters were 6

of 8 from beyond the three-point arc in the second half.

The Anteaters, who host the University of the Pacific Thursday at the

Bren Events Center (7:05 p.m.), committed only three turnovers in the

first half and jumped out to a 12-0 lead against Idaho (4-11, 1-5), which

never threatened.

UCI 7-foot sophomore center Adam Parada (12 points), one of four

‘Eaters in double figures, made two free throws to open matters, then

Hood canned a three-pointer from NBA range and Parada came back with a

one-handed dunk on a putback 2:22 into the game to give UCI a 7-0 lead.

After an Idaho timeout, Parada scored again on a tipin, then 6-10

sophomore Stanislav Zuzak nailed a three-pointer with 16:32 left as the

Anteaters stormed to their 12-0 advantage.

Hood finished with a career-high seven three-pointers, missing only

two.

Zuzak (14 points) and Green (14) also scored in double digits for UCI,

which never allowed Idaho a scoring run of more than five points.

The ‘Eaters built an 18-point lead when Green made a three-pointer

with 13:05 to play in the first half, then increased their edge to 23

when Matt Okoro, who came off the bench to score a season-high nine

points, scored with 5:45 on the clock.

Green, who reached double figures for the 27th straight game, started

his 100th consecutive contest for UCI and now has 1,703 career points,

only 76 shy of breaking Tod Murphy’s record.

The ‘Eaters, who never led by more than 38 points, have won 22 of

their last 23 Big West regular-season games.