‘Eaters dodge Idaho

Barry Faulkner

UC Irvine men’s basketball coach Pat Douglass believes junior point

guard Aaron Fitzgerald loves the big stage.

And while the Anaheim Convention Center crowd for Wednesday’s

first-round Big West Conference tournament game against Idaho may not

have been as large as the Anteaters are used to performing for, the

postseason atmosphere definitely proved to Fitzgerald’s liking.

“I have to admit, all year, Aaron likes the big stage,” Douglass

said after Fitzgerald scored a career-high 30 points, including 6 of

11 from three-point range, to key the Anteaters’ 80-67 win. “Those

games against USC and UCLA, he seems to play well. Now maybe if we

can convince him that the rest of our games this week are a big game,

he’ll have a remarkable tournament.”

The victory, UCI’s third straight and fifth in its last six

contests, propelled the No. 5 seed (16-12) into tonight’s

quarterfinal matchup against No. 3-seeded Cal State Northridge

(17-12). UCI was swept in conference play by the Matadors, who have

beaten the ‘Eaters three straight.

Fitzgerald made his first four field-goal tries, including three

three-pointers, en route to 16 first-half points. But an

ill-conceived three-quarter-court heave with about eight seconds to

go before halftime earned him a contemptuous scowl from Douglass on

the way to the locker room.

Douglass, however, was all smiles with Fitzgerald at the postgame

interview session.

“Aaron had 30 points and he likes that,” Douglass quipped. “He

should be in a good mood [today].”

Asked if it was his plan to have Fitzgerald assert himself

offensively, Douglass continued to keep things light.

“Usually, Aaron has his own plan anyway and sometimes he lets me

know what that is,” Douglass quipped.

Idaho Coach Leonard Perry, however, was understandably less glib

about Fitzgerald’s most productive night as a collegian.

“What did he do to us?” Perry asked, rhetorically. “Let me count

the ways. He was 9 of 15 from the field. He got in a groove and made

some back-breakers we didn’t think he could make. We were worried

about [junior guard Ross Schraeder, whose 73 three-pointers in the

regular season led the Big West], then Fitzgerald gets hot.

[Fitzgerald] had been shooting 25% from three [30.5 percent for the

season and 24.1% in conference]. If he shoots like that again,

they’re probably going to win. But I don’t see that happening.

Usually, your shooting percentage catches up with you.”

There was no catching UCI after a Fitzgerald three ball triggered

a 13-2 UCI run to open a 68-55 cushion with 6:46 left.

The No. 8-seeded Vandals, who lost their final eight and 11 of

their last 12 to finish 8-22 before leaving next season for Western

Athletic Conference, closed to within 70-67 with 2:26 left.

But Fitzgerald hit a fade-away three that triggered a 10-0 UCI run

to close out the game.

Freshman Darren Fells came off the bench to contribute 10 points

and 12 rebounds, as UCI amassed a 50-25 rebounding edge.

“We got pounded on the glass,” Perry said. “In my eyes, that’s the

story of the game.” Jeff Gloger chipped in 12 points and Greg

Ethington 10 to help the UCI cause.

Big West Conference tournament

First round

UC Irvine 80, Idaho 67

Idaho - Higdon 19, Lyons 4, Davis 6, Jones 19, Shepard 16, Haynes

3.

3-pt. goals - Higdon 5, Jones 4, Haynes 1.

Fouled out - None.

Technicals - None.

UC Irvine - Gloger 12, Campbell 4, Ethington 10, Schraeder 6, Fitzgerald 30, Fells 10, Armstrong 6, Sanders 2.

3-pt. goals - Fitzgerald 6, Schraeder 2, Armstrong 2, Campbell 1.

Fouled out - None.

Technicals - None.

Halftime - UCI, 38-36.