BIG WEST CONFERENCE TOURNAMENT SEMIFINAL:

ANAHEIM — After their biggest Big West Tournament victory in 14 years, members of the UC Irvine men’s basketball team began cavorting with their student rooters on the southeast corner of the Anaheim Convention Center floor.

But, following a 55-50 win over top-seeded UC Santa Barbara put the No. 5-seeded Anteaters into tonight’s 8 o’clock title game against No. 3-seeded Cal State Fullerton, UCI senior Darren Fells said his team was not yet ready to dance.

When asked if he and his teammates were dancing with members of the Completely Insane Anteaters rooting section, Fells first laughed, obviously aware that UCI has never been to the NCAA Tournament known as the “Big Dance” in the program’s previous 30 Division I seasons.

“We were jumping,” Fells said with a smile, leaving room for a more sophisticated celebration tonight, should the ’Eaters (18-15) beat the only team to sweep them in regular-season conference play.

Cal State Fullerton (23-8), a 83-68 semifinal winner over Cal State Northridge Friday, earned a 93-83 triumph at Titan Gym on Jan. 4 and posted a 74-66 win at the Bren Events Center Saturday night.

But UCI’s fourth game in four days was still more than 24 hours away when UCI Coach Pat Douglass, who had seen his UCI teams eliminated in five semifinal appearances, all in the previous seven seasons, was just happy to be moving on.

It’s the first final appearance for UCI since 1994. The Anteaters also fell in the 1988 conference tournament title game.

But advancing was never secure, until senior Patrick Sanders made two free throws with 3.5 seconds remaining to put away the hard-charging Gauchos.

UCI used a 9-1 run midway through the first half to establish control, on its way to a 24-17 halftime advantage.

The designated visitors, who became the first team since Cal State Northridge in 2004 to win three games in three days to get to the title game, maintained their lead throughout the final 20 minutes.

But UCSB (23-8) narrowed the lead to 41-38 with 5:59 left. The lead was shaved to 46-45 with 2:46 remaining, but UCI senior Marcus McIntosh made an explosive drive for a layup with 2:20 left and UCSB never got closer than two.

A three-pointer by sophomore guard James Powell pulled the Gauchos within 52-50 with 28.2 seconds left, and when UCI freshman Patrick Rembert missed the first of his six foul shots in the final 1:04 with 25.8 ticks remaining, UCSB had a chance to tie with a three-pointer.

But Alex Harris, a senior guard and the conference Co-Player of the Year attempted to lift off from the top of the key for a three-point try, UCI sophomore Michael Hunter got a piece of the ball, forcing Harris into an off-balanced attempt that did not draw iron.

Sanders, UCI’s first-team all-conference performer who had just two points to that point (one of six from the field), rebounded, was fouled and converted to keep the UCI season alive.

“The three seniors didn’t want to go home,” Douglass said of Fells, Sanders and McIntosh.

Fells amassed 14 points, nine rebounds and three steals and personified the type of relentless effort that has helped UCI catch postseason fire.

Sanders had 10 rebounds and three blocks, while McIntosh had 11 points and took the majority of time guarding Harris, who was just three of 13 from the field, two of nine from three-point range.

Harris finished with a game-high 17 points, including nine of 14 from the foul line, where the Gauchos stumbled considerably.

UCSB, which shot 76.1% from the line in the regular season (second best in the conference) netted just 16 of 19 free-throw attempts (55.2%).

The Gauchos also missed seven layups on their way to shooting a meager 31.9% from the field (15 of 47).

“I thought, collectively, it was just a great defensive effort,” Douglass said. “The batteries were a little bit low with three games in three days. By far that’s the most turnovers (23) to assists (six) we’ve had the whole year. But, on the defensive end, we just never quit. We found a way to get some fuel in our tank and keep battling and Rembert, I call him Rambo, was really clutch down the stretch making free throws.”

Williams said Rembert (career-high 12 points) and McIntosh have really stepped up in the tournament to complement the strong play of Fells, a second-team all-conference choice, and Sanders.

“Those two guys have really made strides, in terms of their role on the team and how they play,” Williams said of Rembert and McIntosh. “They are really playing good, solid basketball and playing their role to the upmost ability. Rembert for a walk-on guard, is really a key guy for them. He was five of six from the free-throw line, he’s a 63% shooter on the year. The kid has a great calmness about his game.

“And McIntosh was kind of the guy who went and made plays for them.

“But [Fells and Sanders] are carrying a big load. That’s 19 rebounds from those two. And, they’re mentally tough and they’re doing what they need to do. It’s disappointing for us the way we played, but you’ve got to give them a lot of credit.”

Big West Conference Tournament

Semifinal

UC Irvine 55, UC Santa Barbara 50

UCI – Sanders 4, Fells 14, Rembert 12, McIntosh 11, Hunter 6, Bland 8.

3-pt. goals – Hunter 2, Rembert 1, Bland 1, .

UCSB – Devine 8, Harris 17, Elliott 9, Powell 4, Joyner 3, Pajevic 5, Posley 4.

3-pt. goals – Harris 2, Joyner 1, Powell 1.

Fouled out – Devine.

Halftime – UCI, 24-17.

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