UOP holds off Anteaters

STOCKTON — The UC Irvine men’s basketball team failed to shake its road demons Saturday, dropping a 59-53 Big West Conference game at Pacific.

Back-to-back three-pointers by sophomore guard Michael Hunter pulled the Anteaters within 56-53 with 1:07 left, and UCI had the ball with a chance to tie after Darren Fells rebounded a Pacific miss on the Tigers’ subsequent possession.

UCI senior Patrick Sanders, however, missed a floating jumper in the lane with 24 seconds left and UOP made three of four free throws down the stretch to improve to 13-5, 4-1 in conference, 7-1 at home.

UCI (7-11, 2-3) has now lost 11 of 12 games played away from its campus this season.

The ’Eaters fall into a fifth-place tie with UC Davis in the conference.

Hunter had a season-high 15 points, all on three-pointers, while Sanders had 11 of his 15 points after halftime.

Fells had 13 points and 10 rebounds, his third double-double in his last four games.

Pacific posted a 29-6 advantage in bench scoring and made 14 of 17 second-half foul shots.

— From staff reports

Big West Conference

Pacific 59, UC Irvine 53

UCI – Sanders 15, Bland 4, Fells 13, Hunter 15, Lauer 0, McIntosh 6.

3-pt. goals – Hunter 5, Sanders 3.

Fouled out – Bland.

UOP – Brown 12, Ford 1, Neimeyer 0, Johnson 10, Troyer 7, Nunnally 9, LeDuc 9, Smith 6, Kirby 5.

3-pt. goals – Troyer 1, Smith 1. LeDuc 1.

Fouled out – None.

Halftime – UOP, 24-22.