UC Irvine and UC Santa Barbara were a close 1-2, respectively, in a Big West Conference preseason media poll in November. It was therefore impressive when UCI walloped UCSB by 19 points in Sunday’s conference opener.
Monday’s rematch was a much different story, but the result was the same. Up by seven points at halftime, the Anteaters found themselves down by nine with 7:45 to play before roaring back for a 73-69 victory at the Bren Events Center.
That gives the Anteaters (5-4 overall) a 2-0 start to conference play. UCSB is 4-3, 0-2.
After Miles Norris hit a 3-pointer to give the Gauchos a 58-49 lead, the UCI comeback began with a basket from senior center Brad Greene.
When true freshman DJ Davis buried a 3-pointer, the Anteaters were within 58-57 with 4:14 to play. Davis then assisted on a basket by Collin Welp for a 59-58 UCI lead. Welp then made it 62-58 on a drive to the basket and free throw to finish a 13-0 run.
UCSB was able to tie the score at 62-62 with just over two minutes left, but a 3-pointer by Dawson Baker started a 5-0 UCI run for a 67-62 lead.
Davis helped close out the victory by going 6 for 6 from the free-throw line in the final 48.8 seconds.
Welp led the Anteaters with 16 points and nine rebounds, Baker scored 14, Greene had 10 points and eight rebounds and Davis and Isaiah Lee scored nine apiece.
UCI coach Russ Turner praised Davis for his clutch play down the stretch.
“DJ Davis has confidence in his ability,” Turner said. “And that confidence is not fake. That’s confidence he’s earned through his performances in a couple of really strong high school programs and also on the AAU circuit where he’s played against some of the best players in the country multiple games and been a difference-maker against high-level guys, so there’s no issue with his confidence.”
Davis prepped at Centennial High in Corona and Riverside Poly.
JaQuori McLaughlin led the Gauchos with a game-high 22 points, Ajare Sanni scored 18 and Miles Norris had 16. That trio was why the Anteaters had such a rough time – particularly in the second half – before they regrouped and rallied for the victory.
But that’s the key – UCI did come back and win, showing the kind of fight Turner loves to see in his teams.
“We did show character tonight, to be able to withstand the intensity that Santa Barbara brought,” he said. “I mean, credit to them. I thought they were an entirely different team tonight than they were last night because of the intensity that they brought, and we expected that. But I do believe that we have as a foundation in this program the expectation of great character, so we’ve recruited guys who fit that.
“And then I’ve got to challenge them every day through difficult circumstances to strengthen that character. If we do a good job of it as a staff here, then that’ll show up on nights like this and I think that’s what happened.”
UCI lost several front-line players to graduation, but still received 270 points and 18 first-place votes in the preseason poll. The Gauchos received 254 points and nine first-place votes.
The Anteaters have won two consecutive regular-season conference titles and five of the past seven.
UCI shot 44.4% from the field, including a 41.2% mark (7 for 17) from 3-point range. UCSB shot 39.6% overall and 40% (8 for 20) from beyond the arc.
For the second night in a row, UCI dominated the boards (37-26) and the paint (24-8). The Anteaters also held a 16-5 advantage in second-chance points.
The Anteaters started quickly and led 10-2 after a 17-foot turnaround jumper by Welp. The Gauchos, down 12-4, embarked on a 7-0 run to get within 12-11.
UCI held its biggest lead of the half (30-20) following a pair of free throws by Austin Johnson with 4:29 left before intermission.
Lee led the Anteaters with nine first-half points, Welp scored seven.
McLaughlin led the Gauchos with 10 points in the half.
As has been the case all season, there were no fans allowed at the game because of the coronavirus pandemic.
UP NEXT
UCI plays a two-game Big West series at Cal State Northridge on Friday and Saturday. Both games begin at 4 p.m. and can be streamed on ESPN3.
