UCI Finds Life Is Not Easy on Road, 84-66

Those little fellows from UC Irvine, whose runt-and-gun offense had ambushed a pair of giants last week at Crawford Hall, hit the road for the first time this season Thursday night.

The road hit back.

As the Anteaters abruptly discovered during an 84-66 beating by Tulsa University before 7,135 at Maxwell Convention Center, life in the wide open spaces can get pretty wild.

By the time the outcome had been decided, forward Mark Warren had been knocked out of the game and guard Scott Brooks, the diminutive leader of Irvine’s three-point brigade, had been knocked silly. The outside jump shot, that Anteater staple which found mostly net during upsets over Nebraska and Bradley, kept clanking off unfriendly rims. When elbows were thrown, referee’s calls went the other way. And when Irvine took an eight-point lead in the second half-- Irvine’s half--the Anteaters lost their grip on both the basketball and their nerve.

Undefeated Tulsa (4-0) ran off second-half scoring bursts of 12-2 and 13-0 as the Golden Hurricane powered its way past the long-shots from Irvine (2-1).

On this night, Crawford Hall seemed a million miles away.

“I’d like to do what UCLA used to do--schedule all our December games at home and then go on the road in conference,” Irvine Coach Bill Mulligan said. “The road is tough. Hardly anyone wins at Tulsa. Last year, Bradley was 32-1 but lost the (Missouri Valley Conference) tournament here.

“But, Vegas is a tough place to play and we won there last year. That’s how we approached this game, too. We thought we could win this one.”

Sure, why not? No matter that Tulsa is ranked as high as ninth in one national poll or that the Anteaters’ starting lineup was giving away an average of 3 1/2 inches per man. The charmed life Irvine led against Nebraska and Bradley--averaging 115 points in the victories--was enough to create mirage for a while in Oklahoma.

“We were up by eight at the half,” Mulligan said. “You figure, ‘We’re on a roll--let’s keep going.’ ”

Reality, however, indicated that Irvine had been presented an eight-point lead by default. Tulsa muscled its way inside virtually at will, but when it came to the act of shooting the ball, the Hurricane couldn’t find the eye of the basket. Tulsa sank just 12 of 44 shots in the first half--a paltry 27%.

The Anteaters, however, didn’t know how to respond. They kept turning the ball over and kept missing shots at an uncommonly high rate (13-of-36, 36%) to keep the Hurricane close.

For the game, Irvine shot 38.5%.

Tulsa’s defense did succeed in taking away the key to Irvine’s offense-- Scott Brooks. With 2:20 left in the game, Hurricane forward Donald Royster leveled Brooks with a blow to the head as Brooks drove to the basket. Royster’s elbow cracked Brooks across the right temple and sent the 5-11 guard crashing into the padding of the basket standard.

Brooks wound up on the floor for more than five minutes before being helped to his feet. He left the game with 17 points, 15 below his average of 32.0.

“(Royster) really came down on him,” Mulligan said. “I would have rather seen him pick on somebody else. I saw our season flash before our eyes.”

Brooks said he was all right after the game.

Warren could not say the same. He had left the game earlier with an ankle sprain that will require X-rays. Trainer Paul Gardikas indicated there could be ligament damage.

Fouls took their attrition on other Anteaters. Center Wayne Engelstad (4 points), forward Mike Doktorczyk (15), guard Joe Buchanan (6) and reserve Frank Woods (12) fouled out, leaving Irvine at the game’s conclusion with a lineup comprised of end-of-the-bench types Jason Turner, Peter Strauss and Steve Florentine.

Worse yet for the Anteaters, they have to hang around here for two more days. Saturday, Irvine plays the city’s other Division I basketball team, Oral Roberts.

For the Anteaters, there’s no escape yet.