Anteaters streak by Fullerton

IRVINE — The UC Irvine men’s basketball team had lost five straight at home and five in a row to Cal State Fullerton heading into its Big West Conference opener Saturday against the visiting Titans.

But it was streaky play that wound up pulling the Anteaters through in a 78-74 overtime triumph that, according to at least one of their heroes, may have saved the season.

“This one’s huge,” said senior sharpshooter Brett Lauer, who made five of his first six three-point tries and six first-half three-pointers on his way to 22 points before intermission. Lauer, who had 24 points in five previous games combined and was just two for 10 from beyond the arc in three previous contests, finished with a career-high 27 points. He made seven of 12 from threedom to help UCI connect on nine of 22 three-point attempts, after it had missed nine of 10 in its last game, a home loss to Utah on Dec. 27. “This is the season right here ... It’s all about how you do in conference. I don’t even think we played nonconference games ... Those were practice games.”

Wise, who seems to be beyond the season-long rehearsals that characterize the adjustment campaign of most true freshmen, scored nine of the ’Eaters’ final 17 points on his way to a career-high 25 points.

Wise’s play down the stretch, which included a three-point play with 1:34 left in regulation and four free throws without a miss in the final 15 seconds of overtime, allowed UCI (3-10, 1-0 in conference) to avert blowing a lead it held for more than 28 minutes, until the Titans pulled even with 26 seconds left in regulation.

UCI, thanks to seven first-half three-pointers, held a 37-27 edge at the break. The hosts then kept the reigning conference champions at bay, claiming a 57-48 advantage when Zack Atkinson tipped in a miss with 8:12 left in the second half.

But Fullerton (6-8, 0-2) shifted into a zone defense that helped slow UCI, and the visitors had a golden chance to collect the road win in regulation.

After Wise’s aforementioned three-point play put UCI up, 64-60, a pair of Josh Akognon free throws and an eight-footer by freshman guard Jacques Streeter saw Fullerton tie the score with 26 seconds left in regulation.

Lauer’s errant pass on UCI’s ensuing possession was stolen and Streeter missed a layup under duress on the subsequent charge upcourt. Titans Gerald Anderson and Papa Guisse both failed to convert follow shots from virtually under the basket, allowing UCI to regroup and seize overtime.

“[The Titans] had a chance to put the game away there at the end,” UCI Coach Pat Douglass said. “We haven’t gotten too many breaks this season, but we caught a break there when they couldn’t make those layups. I was proud of the way the guys regrouped in overtime.”

Sophomore Patrick Rembert, inserted to try to penetrate against the Fullerton zone, Douglass said, opened the extra session with a driving, left-handed layin and Wise followed with a four-foot bank to regain the momentum for the hosts.

Lauer answered a Fullerton three-pointer with one of his own. But Akognon, who was held to 12 points, less than half his conference-leading average coming in, nailed his only three ball in six attempts to forge a 71-71 deadlock with 1:42 left.

After a UCI turnover and a Fullerton miss, junior Michael Hunter, who had missed all three of his three-point tries to that point, buried a three with 25 seconds left to give UCI the lead for good.

“That was a huge bucket,” Douglass said.

Wise then converted from the line before and after a Fullerton three-pointer and UCI had its first home win of the season.

Beyond Lauer and Wise, who was seven of 13 field-goal tries, five ’Eaters combined for the remaining 26 points, paced by seven from junior Adam Folker.

Folker also had a team-high 11 rebounds (seven offensive), while Hunter and Rembert drew praise for their defense on Akognon.

“[Akognon] has been getting about 20 shots a game and he only got 11 tonight,” Douglass said.

Big West Conference

UC Irvine 78, Cal State Fullerton 74 (OT)

CSUF – Anderson 9, Guisse 4, Streeter 23, Akognon 12, Lassiter 8, Thompson 16, Miller 2.

3-pt. goals – Streeter 3, Lassiter 2, Thompson 2, Akognon 1.

Fouled out – Anderson, Guisse.

Technicals – Anderson 1.

UCI – Folker 7, Bland 0, Wise 25, Lauer 27, Hunter 5, Rembert 5, Strings 5, Atkinson 4.

3-pt. goals – Lauer 7, Strings 1, Hunter 1.

Fouled out – Bland.

Halftime – UCI, 37-27.