Men’s Basketball: UCI struggles, falls in final
ANAHEIM — Pressure got to the UC Irvine men’s basketball team on Saturday, most of it applied by Big West Conference Tournament champion UC Davis, which claimed a 50-47 victory in the Big West Tournament final in front of 5,085 at Honda Center.
But some, to be sure, came from elsewhere, perhaps even the Anteaters’ haunted postseason past.
It was the UCI’s sixth conference tournament title game, its third in the last five seasons. Only once in those title-game appearances, has UCI managed to shake the demons that seem ever so intent not to dance.
UCI (21-14), is bound for the NIT, instead of the NCAA Tournament, which is the exclusive reward for the conference tournament winner. For the seventh time in the last seven seasons, that is a different Big West school. For the first time in history, it’s UC Davis (22-12), which shuffles off to the Big Dance.
For only the second time this season, UCI failed to score at least 50 points or convert at least four three-point field goals. It was only the second time this season the ‘Eaters reached the 20-turnover mark.
Still, UCI, which earned its third regular-season conference title in the last four years by whalloping UC Davis, 79-49, to end the regular season, rallied from a 24-16 halftime deficit to earn its first lead, 29-28, with 12:39 left in the game. UCI pushed the advantage to 42-37 with 4:09 remaining, but was outscored, 13-5, the rest of the way and couldn’t get a shot off on its final possession.
“I’m disappointed for us,” said Turner, whose team had just three field goals – all three-pointers – that came from beyond six feet. “We didn’t play our best game, and I think a lot of that has to do with UC Davis.
“[The Aggies] were physical, they were aggressive, the way championship basketball is often played, and I give them credit for that … I thought we gathered ourselves well at half, chipped away at the lead, got back in the game and gave ourselves a chance to win.”
Davis senior Brynton Lemar, who scored nine points in overtime to propel the No., 2-seeded Aggies to a semifinal win over Cal State Fullerton, had 11 of his team’s final 13 points in the last 3:57.
Ioannis Dimakopoulos sank a six-foot jump hook with 39 seconds left to pull UCI within 46-44, but Lemar, who relentlessly attacked the basket down the stretch, converted a layup with 13 seconds left.
UCI senior guard Luke Nelson, the Big West Player of the Year, sank a 25-foot three-pointer with seven seconds left to cut the deficit to 48-47.
After two Lemar free throws, UCI got the ball into the front court and called timeout with 2.2 seconds left. The Anteaters inbounded and the ball was knocked loose from Dimakopoulos in the corner with 0:00.9 seconds left.
The subsequent cross-court inbounds pass from Brandon Smith intended for Jaron Martin was knocked out of bounds as time expired.
Nelson led the UCI with 14 points, eight rebounds and four assists. He was not among the eight UCI players that had at least one turnover, but he was six for 16 from the field, two for seven from threedom.
Dimakopoulos had 10 points and freshman Tommy Rutherford made five of six field-goal tries to produce 11 points in 24 reserve minutes. He had five rebounds, matching freshman Eyassu Worku.
Senior Jaron Martin, who joined Nelson on the all-tournament team, was one for four from the field and tied his season low with three points. He joined Smith and Worku with three turnovers apiece, while Jonathan Galloway, who was scoreless, had five.
UCI shot 38%, and just 25% from beyond the arc.
Davis finished 18 for 52 from the field (34.6%), and was three for 10 from threedom. The Aggies made 11 of 18 foul shots, while Irvine converted six of seven from the line.
“I feel like our team is a team of closers, with experience,” Turner said of the final four minutes. “Typically we’ve been able to defend in those situations well enough to maintain our lead … We didn’t make enough shots to win.
“I feel like we wanted it to be easier than Davis made it and that’s why we played so poorly early. We had one assist and 13 turnovers at halftime.”
Davis Coach Jim Les said his team’s defense was the key.
“We said before the tournament started that the best defensive team is going to walk away with the biggest prize and go dancing,” Les said. “And these guys, for these three games, were dominant on the defensive end. We weren’t always pretty offensively, but our defense won us this championship.”
Big West Conference Tournament
Final
UC Davis 50, UC Irvine 47
UCD – Adenrele 2, Moneke 9, Lemar 20 , White 6, Graham 0, Schneider 7, Hennings 4, Henn 2.
3-pt. goals – White 2, Lemar 1.
Fouled out – None.
Technicals – None.
UCI – Galloway 0, Smith 3, Dimakopoulos 10, Nelson 14, Martin 3, Rutherford 11, Green 2, Rivers 2, Hazzard 2.
3-pt. goals – Nelson 2, Martin 1.
Fouled out – None.
Technicals – None.
Halftime – 24-16, UC Davis.
Twitter: @BarryFaulkner5
