‘Eaters win, then lose out

FULLERTON — The UC Irvine men’s basketball team was playing for a chance at the No. 4 seed in the upcoming Big West Tournament. But Saturday’s game at Cal State Fullerton was more about three than four.

The Anteaters took care of what they could, topping the Titans, 65-62, in the Big West regular-season finale in front of 2,781 at Titan Gym. The win put UCI in position to claim the valuable No. 4 seed, which comes with a first-day bye.

But UC Santa Barbara beat visiting Long Beach State, 76-75, later Saturday, to bump UCI to the No. 5 seed. Now, UCI will need to win four games in four days to win the tournament crown and the conference’s automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.

UCI finished in a three-way tie for fourth place with UCSB and UC Riverside. But after tiebreakers, UCSB claims the No. 4 seed. UCI is No. 5 and UC Riverside is No. 6.

That means UCI will open the tournament Wednesday night at 6 against No. 8-seeded UC Davis, which swept the Anteaters in two conference meetings this season.

Having played two hours earlier than the rest of the conference Saturday, at least UCI (12-18, 8-8 in conference) had some extra time to feel good about finishing with four wins in its final five regular-season games. The late surge, the most successful five-game stint of the season for a UCI team that opened the campaign 1-9, has some spouting optimism.

“Anything’s possible,” said UCI junior guard Michael Hunter, who scored 16 points, including four three-pointers, against Fullerton (14-16, 7-9). “To play those four games in four days is tough.”

UCI accomplished three-fourths of that tall order last season, winning three times before falling to the Titans in the title game.

Fullerton Coach Bob Burton, as well as UCI Coach Pat Douglass, both said winning four straight at the Anaheim Convention Center would be unexpected.

“[The bye] is big because, this year, all the teams are so even, the more games you have to play, it’s hard,” Douglass said. “No one is going to be that consistent to win four days probably. If they do, you take your hat off to them.”

Burton said having had the first-day bye last season helped his Titans handle a fatigued UCI squad in the final.

“Playing four games in four days is really difficult,” Burton said. “Last year, [the Anteaters] were on fire and they played great. Then, they played us in the last game and I thought there was a decided difference when it was our third game and their fourth.”

Burton said UCI freshman Eric Wise was the difference Saturday.

Wise, a powerfully built 6-foot-5 center, collected a game-high 20 points and chipped in eight rebounds, three assists and one steal to help add an inside element to a perimeter game that produced nine thee-pointers.

“[Wise] took my two big guys and he just dominated the whole night,” Burton said.

UCI controlled the first half, after which it led, 31-27, but Fullerton came out hot after the intermission and took a 39-38 lead, its first since 3-2.

A pair of three-pointers by freshman Derrick Strings (11 points off the bench including three three-pointers), with a three ball by Patrick Rembert in between, helped UCI eventually build a 53-44 advantage.

Fullerton, despite an off shooting night from leading scorer Josh Akognon (six for 20 from the field and just one for eight from three-point range) kept chipping away. The Titans pulled within 63-62 with 50 seconds remaining, then forced a turnover on the ’Eaters’ subsequent possession.

But senior Kevin Bland, who had 12 rebounds, six points, four assists and four steals, blocked a shot from close-range by Gerard Anderson and the rebound went out of bounds, off of Anderson, to give UCI the ball with 10 seconds left.

Brett Lauer was fouled on the inbounds play and made both ends of a one-and-one free-throw situation with seven seconds left and Fullerton failed to get off a final shot when a pass was deflected out of bounds as time expired.

“We’re all smiles and everyone is happy,” Bland said before learning his team did not get the No. 4 seed. “That’s a great way for us to finish, going into the tournament.”

Big West Conference

UC Irvine 65, Cal State Fullerton 62

UCI – Bland 6, Wise 20, Hunter 16, Rembert 7, DeCasas 3, Strings 11, Lauer 2.

3-pt. goals – Hunter 4, Strings 3, Rembert 1, DeCasas 1.

Fouled out – None.

Technicals – None.

CSF – Anderson 3, Guisse 0, Thompson 19, Akognon 12, Streeter 13, Lassiter 10, Miller 4.

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

Fouled out – None.

Technicals – None.

Halftime – UCI, 31-27.