‘Eaters tip off in Cincy

The UC Irvine men’s basketball team receives a strong challenge

today, when it opens its season against Illinois-Chicago in the Dell

Black Coaches Association Classic at 3 p.m. PST at the Cintas Center

at Xavier University in Cincinnati.

Coach Pat Douglass’ Anteaters begin their quest for a fourth

straight 20-win season against an ICU squad ranked No. 3 in the

CollegeInsider.com mid-major preseason poll.

The Flames, who return five starters and are picked to win the

Horizon League this season, went 21-9 last season to earn the

program’s first appearance in the National Invitation Tournament.

ICU, coached by former New Mexico State All-American Jimmy

Collins, are led by 6-foot-2 senior guard Cedric Banks, voted the

preseason Player of the Year in the Horizon League.

Banks averaged 19 points and 5.0 rebounds as a junior and scored

51 points in 44 combined minutes in the Flames’ two exhibition

victories.

ICU also relies upon senior point guard Martell Bailey and 6-5

senior forward Armond Williams. Bailey led the nation in assists last

season with 8.1 per game and averaged 10 points, as well, while

Williams averaged 13.6 points and 7.6 rebounds and shot 64% from the

field.

Aaron Carr, a 6-4 senior forward, also averaged 11.3 points last season.

UCI is led by 7-0 senior center Adam Parada, 6-5 sophomore guard

Mike Efevberha and 6-4 sophomore point guard Jeff Gloger.

Parada averaged 12.2 ppg and 6.2 rpg last year, while Efevberha

scored 41 points in the Anteaters two exhibition wins.

Gloger averaged 8.2 ppg, 4.3 rpg, 3.0 assists and 2.6 steals as a

redshirt freshman.

The UCI-ICU winner meets the University of San Diego-Oakland (of

Michigan) winner Sunday. Oakland (17-11 last season), features the

nation’s leading returning scorer in senior guard Mike Helms (26.9

ppg).

The title game is Monday night.

The rest of the tournament includes host Xavier (26-6 last year),

Coppin State (11-17), Mercer (23-6) and Ohio (14-16).

-- Barry Faulkner