Sanders hot for UC Irvine

IRVINE — From the get-go, Patrick Sanders heard the hollers from the sideline.

“Attack! Attack!”

UC Irvine’s forward finally took the advice in the second half, flying toward the basket any chance a lane opened up.

When there wasn’t room to maneuver, he made sure to create contact, enough to force him to the free-throw line.

Sanders found himself shooting from there a lot against Cal State Northridge Saturday night.

Sanders made 14 of 16 free throws and finished with a career-best 23 points, leading the Anteaters to a 75-66 victory in front of 4,374 fans in their last Big West Conference game at Bren Events Center.

The next four conference games for UCI (11-13, 5-5 in conference) are on the road, starting with UC Santa Barbara on Thursday.

Sanders’ resurgence bodes well for the Anteaters. It appears the junior has reverted back to his aggressive ways from the start of the season, when he scored in double figures in the first eight games.

Getting more touches helped.

“[He] had more possession plays he’s [ever] had here in his career,” said UCI Coach Pat Douglass of Sanders, who made four of five field goals. “I thought he played a great ballgame. Early in the year, he would settle for a step-back shot, or whatever.”

Against the Matadors (10-12, 3-6), Sanders didn’t settle for jumpers.

Coach Bobby Braswell said he expected the 6-foot-6 Sanders to attempt to slash his way toward the paint. In time he did, and the breakdowns on defense led to the Matadors to fouling.

They hammered away, not only at Sanders, but also at guard Chuma Awaji. The junior converted each of his 12 free throws to finish with a career-high 19 points.

The Anteaters put the game away at the free-throw line, making 13 of 16 in the final 2 minutes, 6 seconds. For the game, they made 32 of 45 free throws.

The only stops for the Matadors came when they saw UCI at the free-throw line.

The Anteaters made 15 more free throws than the Matadors, who in a 79-72 loss at Long Beach State lost the free-throw battle by 21.

Despite the discrepancy in free throws, UCI led, 56-55, near the five-minute mark.

The Matadors’ bench, which outscored UCI’s, 40-15, kept the game close. That’s until back-to-back three-point plays by UCI broke the game open.

First center Darren Fells, who added 14 points, converted a three-point play on a free throw after making a basket. Thirty-one seconds later, guard Michael Hunter hit a three-pointer to put the Anteaters’ up, 62-55, with 4:12 left.

It would be UCI’s last field goal, as the rest of its 13 points came on free throws. Four of those points came from Sanders.

“I just wanted to keep attacking,” said Sanders, who went 10 for 12 on free throws in the second half.

Big West ConferenceCal State Northridge -- Heard 13, Peters 13, Chitwood 12, Shemake10, Haynes 7, Hill 5, Colston 4, Miller 2.

UC Irvine 75,

Cal State Northridge 66

3-pt. goals -- Peters 2, Heard 1, Chitwood 1, Haynes 1, .

Fouled out -- Shewmake.

UC Irvine -- Sanders 23, Awaji 19, Fells 14, Campbell 11, Hunter 5, DeCasas.

3-pt. goals -- Hunter, Awaji 1, Sanders 1.