UCI Debuts Against Norwegian Team in Basketball

UC Irvine’s economy-sized 1986-87 basketball team holds an advance showing tonight at 7:30 when the Anteaters play the Norwegian National Team in an exhibition game at Crawford Hall.

UCI, which lost last season’s leading scorers and rebounders--Johnny Rogers and Tod Murphy--through graduation, is expected to start three guards--none listed taller than 6-feet 1-inch.

Tonight, Coach Bill Mulligan will test a lineup including 5-11 Scott Brooks, 6-1 Joe Buchanan and 6-1 Mike Hess against a Norwegian team that is 2-1 against Pacific 10 competition on its West Coast tour. The Anteaters’ other starters will be 6-8 center Wayne Engelstad and 6-8 1/2 forward Mike Doktorczyk.

UCI finished 17-13 last season, including an 80-74 victory over UCLA in the first round of the National Invitation Tournament.

The Norwegian team has defeated Oregon (91-90) and Oregon State (96-84) after opening in the United States with a 76-73 overtime loss to Washington. Norway has also beaten the University of San Francisco, 84-78.

The Norwegians have five players 6-6 or taller. One, Haakon Austefjord, is a graduate of Utah State and was named Norway’s player of the year in 1982, 1983, 1984 and 1985.