UC Irvine Off and Running Again : Fast-Paced Anteaters Outscored, 133-131, by AIA in Exhibition

The season of run-and-gun got off to an appropriate beginning for UC Irvine Tuesday night when forward Mike Labat snatched the opening tip, turned and sprinted in for a dunk.

Thus it took the Anteaters just 3 seconds to score during the debut of their full-speed-ahead running game. Thirty-nine minutes, 57 seconds--and a couple of hundred points--later Irvine ended up with a 133-131 exhibition loss at the hands of Athletes in Action in front of 1,248 in the Bren Center.

Irvine Coach Bill Mulligan says one of his primary goals this season is for the Anteaters to be exciting. This game certainly filled that bill. And even if they are not exciting, Irvine games will be action-packed.

It doesn’t count in the record book, of course, but the 131 points are the most ever scored by an Irvine team. The Anteaters scored 125 in Mulligan’s debut as Irvine coach in 1980.

A key to the Anteater game plan lies in their opponents’ willingness to get on the express train and enjoy the ride so much they don’t want to get off. AIA--especially guard Lorenzo Romar--was more than happy to oblige. Romar, who was the final player cut by the Houston Rockets last week, took out his frustrations on Irvine, wheeling, dealing and dunking to the tune of 25 points and 13 assists.

“We won’t play two better guards this year than Romar and (former UCLA star Rod) Foster,” Mulligan said. “I don’t think we’ll play anyone with any more big-time players than they’ve got.”

Irvine’s fullcourt press forced AIA into 16 first-half turnovers and the Anteaters led, 63-59, at halftime. But AIA solved the Anteater defense in the opening minutes of the second half and broke free for several uncontested layups. AIA’s first 15 baskets of the second half were either dunks or layins and, with 11:05 remaining in the game, AIA led, 93-83.

Irvine rallied to take the lead, then fell behind again. AIA made 6 of 7 free throws in the final minute to hang on for the victory.

“Well, now we know we can score off the break and we can shoot,” Mulligan said, “but we need to get our assignments on the press squared away. We broke down in a lot of ways.”

Kevin Floyd, Labat and Rod Palmer combined for 74 points for Irvine, which shot 59% from the field.

Floyd led the way with 26 points and a team-high 7 rebounds. Labat made 10 of 12 shots from the floor and finished with 24 points. And Palmer also had 24, hitting 3 of 4 3-pointers.

Forward Jeff Herdman, who made 7 of 10 shots, scored 16. And freshman Brian McCloskey, a less-than-heralded 6-foot 7-inch forward from Sunny Hills High School, also had 16 points and 6 rebounds.