UCI zone key to win

IRVINE — Form held Saturday in the Big West Conference men’s basketball game won by host UC Irvine, 67-53, over UC Riverside. But not without the Anteaters having to do some considerable tweaking to their defensive philosophy.

UCI Coach Pat Douglass, concerned over a deficiency in perimeter quickness and the Highlanders’ ability to create shots with ball screens, abandoned his traditional man-to-man defense for a one-two-two zone with about five minutes left in the first half.

The result was a 12-1 UCI run into halftime that turned a 27-18 deficit into a 30-28 halftime edge.

And though Riverside (4-14, 1-6 in conference) managed to pull even twice early in the second half, UCI (8-11, 3-3) never trailed again, staying in its zone and remaining unbeaten in seven games this season on campus.

“[The zone] saved us tonight,” said Douglass, who said it was the first time all season he has abandoned his man-to-man scheme. “I think it forced them to miss some shots. It helped take their penetration away. We have kind of been stubborn about sticking with our man-to-man, but we may have to use that zone a little more.”

Riverside, winless in its 10 road games this season, utilized its man-to-man defense to help build its early lead.

The Highlanders, under first-year coach Jim Wooldridge, held UCI leading scorer Patrick Sanders scoreless for nearly the first 13 minutes. Sanders, who came in averaging 15.1 points per game, had just two field-goal attempts, before he banked in a 12-foot jumper with 7:13 left in the half.

That Sanders bucket was the only UCI points in a span of 6:21, during which the visitors scored 15 points to establish command.

Sanders, however, scored 10 points in the aforementioned 12-1 run to close out the half, on his way to a game-high 21 points.

Sanders was three of three from three-point range, six of 12 from the field, and also managed a team-high seven rebounds. One of those rebounds, off a Chad DeCasas miss, Sanders slammed through the rim with 8:38 remaining to electrify the 1,855 in attendance and put the Anteaters on top, 55-48.

Sanders’ slam sparked a 10-2 Anteaters surge that ended with a Michael Hunter three-pointer with 3:06 left. That put UCI up, 64-59, salting away the ’Eaters’ first win in two weeks.

“Patrick carried us there for a little bit,” Douglass said of his 6-foot-6 forward, who was also six of seven from the foul line.

Sanders, however, eventually found company in terms of offensive production. Senior center Darren Fells, who was 10 of 11 from the free-throw line, scored 10 of his 16 points after halftime. He added five rebounds and a team-best three assists.

Sophomore point guard Michael Hunter, an active point man in the zone, scored eight of his 10 points in the final 6:12 to help turn the Highlanders away disappointed.

“We couldn’t make a shot,” Wooldridge said when asked about UCI’s zone. “I thought we made a great effort on the road, and if we’d made some shots, that game would have gone down to the wire.”

Riverside, which connected on one of six three-point tries before intermission (16.7%), made five of 13 from beyond the arc in the final 20 minutes to finish six of 19 from threedom (31.6%). The Highlanders came in shooting just 24.7% from three-point range.

The visitors were 13 for 27 from inside the three-point line (48.1%).

Douglass was impressed with a program that has been mired in the Big West basement, since finishing ninth in the then-10-team conference in 2004-05.

“[The Highlanders] played hard,” Douglass said. “They get into a [defensive] stance and they compete.”

UCI, which had nine scholarship players dressed for the game, 10 overall, will now attempt to compete away from campus, where they are 1-11 this season. The Anteaters begin a stretch of four straight conference road games Thursday at conference-leading Cal State Northridge (14-4, 6-0).

Douglass also praised the play of senior reserve guard Marcus McIntosh, who was very active on the wing of the zone and chipped in eight points, including a pair of three-pointers in the first 5:47. McIntosh’s defensive play helped him earn the starting nod in the second half, as junior starter Kevin Bland finished without a point in 19 minutes. Bland, however, had five rebounds.

Douglass said some relief may be on the way, noting that junior guard Trey Harris, who along with senior guard Chuma Awaji have been out with academic issues, might be available to play next week.

Big West Conference

UC Irvine 67, UC Riverside 53

UCR – Soto 9, Diggs 11, Scott 6, S. Cunningham 5, Barlow 2, L. Cunningham 12, Gates 6, Creppy 2.

3-pt. goals – Diggs 3, L. Cunningham 2, Soto 1.

Fouled out – Gates.

UCI – Sanders 21, Bland 0, Fells 16, Hunter 10, Lauer 5, McIntosh 8, DeCasas 7.

3-pt. goals – Sanders 3, McIntosh 2, Hunter 1, Lauer 1, DeCasas 1.

Fouled out – None.

Halftime – UCI, 30-28.

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