Toreros edge Anteaters

ANAHEIM — The UC Irvine men’s basketball team was thankful for a little exposure as the Big West Conference representative in the inaugural made-for-television Anaheim Classic.

Instead, the Anteaters, who lost the third of their three tournament games Sunday, a 60-59 setback against San Diego in the seventh-place game, came away more than a little exposed.

A half-court trap unleashed by Tennessee at Chattanooga Friday clearly showed that UCI had some work to do against all-out defensive pressure. Sunday, it was the matchup zone employed by the Toreros (3-4) that slowed the UCI offense considerably, prompting a return to practice floor and the drawing board.

“We were pretty smooth against [the Toreros’] man defense, but when they were in a zone, they kind of stifled what we seemed to try to do,” UCI Coach Pat Douglass said. “We never seemed to [accomplish] what we were trying to do against that zone. We thought certain areas were open that we weren’t able to exploit.”

San Diego’s defense helped create a span of 6 minutes, 46 seconds early in the second half in which the Anteaters (2-4) did not have a field goal. After Chuma Awaji’s three-pointer with 19:17 left in the game put UCI in front, 29-28, the Toreros went on a 9-4 run that did not include a UCI basket, until Awaji scored with 12:31 left.

After a three-pointer by Awaji, who had 13 of his season-high 16 points after halftime, drew the ’Eaters within 40-38 with 10:39 remaining, USD put together a 10-2 run to seize control of a game that had six ties and six lead changes.

San Diego, which came into the game on a four-game losing streak, having shot just 66.7% from the foul line (62 of 93), made 19 of 21 free throws after halftime, including 15 of its last 16 and six of its final six in the last 29 seconds, to hold off UCI. San Diego was 23 of 26 from the foul line (88.5%).

The Anteaters drew within 58-57 with 12 seconds left on an Awaji three-pointer.

After Brandon Johnson made both double-bonus free throws with 10 seconds left, UCI set up Awaji with a pair of open three-point looks in the finals seconds. Awaji’s first three-point attempt from the top of the key hit off the heel and was rebounded by Darren Fells, who whipped the ball out to Awaji beyond the three-point line. Awaji dribbled to his left to avert a defender, but missed an off-balanced three-point attempt at the buzzer.

“They were good looks,” Awaji said of his final two attempts, which dropped UCI to 37.3% from the field for the game and 36.4% from three-point range. “It would have been better if we had gone into overtime, but we’ll go back to the drawing board and fix our mistakes.”

Douglass also said he was anxious to get to the practice floor, after three games in four days.

“In certain [tournament] games, we did certain facets of the game well, so we need to pull it all together,” said Douglass, whose four losses this season have all been the Anaheim Convention Center. “I guess we can only judge the tournament by how we benefit from these contests, because we definitely have different areas we can go back and work on. So, if we remain positive and figure out what we need to do to improve, then I consider the tournament a positive. We lost three, but we were competitive in all three. Obviously you want to have the more positive score in the end, which we did not have in three of the contests.”

Other positives included a 13-point, six-rebound performance by senior Patrick Sanders, as well as six points, six boards and five assists from sophomore point guard Michael Hunter.

Fells contributed six points and six rebounds, while starters Kevin Bland and Adam Rodenberg combined for eight points and eight boards in 42 combined minutes.

Bland, who was one for six from the field (three of 16 for the tournament) fouled out having played just 16 minutes.

UCI had 11 offensive rebounds to win the rebounding battle, 30-25. It’s 16 turnovers were one more than USD, while UCI shot just eight free throws, making seven.

“I think the event [provides the] potential for us, the Big West, to get a couple wins, to get on ESPN2 [if we] get in the championship game,” Douglass said of the tournament, during which all three UCI games were televised on ESPN U. “The potential is there for anyone, we just couldn’t take advantage of it. I’m hoping the next team from the Big West fares a little bit better than we did.

“Our kids came in with good intentions, and we battled hard. But, these teams that we’re playing are good.”

UCI returns to action Saturday at Utah.

Anaheim Classic

Seventh-place game

San Diego 60, UC Irvine 59

USD – Murdoch 14, Jones 5, B. Johnson 15, Jackson 6, Pomare 16, T. Johnson 4.

3-pt. goals – Murdock 2, B. Johnson 1.

Fouled out - None.

Technicals - None.

UC Irvine – Sanders 13, Rodenberg 4, Bland 4, Hunter 6, DeCasas 8, Awaji 16, Fells 6, Lauer 2.

3-pt. goals – Awaji 3, DeCasas 2, Hunter 2, Sanders 1.

Fouled out - Bland.

Technicals - None.

Halftime – 26-26.

BARRY FAULKNER may be reached at (714) 966-4615 or at [email protected].