UCI Can’t Keep Up With Virginia in Overtime

Only three of the last 71 nonconference opponents who have come into the University of Virginia’s University Hall have come away with a victory. UC Irvine wasn’t No. 4, but the Anteaters came close before losing in overtime, 99-89, Wednesday night in front of 8,264.

An overtime loss to an Atlantic Coast Conference team was almost as good as a victory for Irvine (2-7). For the 7-1 Cavaliers, who have yet to play a game on the road, it was just slightly better than a defeat.

“We’re encouraged by this game,” Irvine Coach Bill Mulligan said. “We’ve been on the road eight nights. We’re tired. But I’m really happy with the way we played.”

Virginia Coach Terry Holland said he was “pleased” to win, but then went on to detail how his team “lost their continuity,” didn’t play very intelligently in the last 2 minutes of regulation and shot poorly from the free-throw line.

Irvine trailed, 85-78, with 2:29 remaining in regulation, but Virginia’s Brent Dabbs and Anthony Oliver missed the front ends of 1-and-1 situations down the stretch. The Anteaters, meanwhile, scored on 2 free throws and a coast-to-coast layup by Kevin Floyd to close the gap to 85-82 with 41 seconds left.

With less than 10 seconds remaining, Irvine’s Mike Labat got the ball at the top of the key, lost control, picked it up and started a staggering drive toward the basket. Somehow, he managed to flip a backhanded pass to Rod Palmer, who was deep in the corner. Palmer, with John Crotty almost in his jersey, swished a 22-footer with 3 seconds left that sent the game into overtime.

“I knew Mike saw me before he started to drive,” Palmer said, “but I didn’t think he’d be able to get the ball to me.”

Mulligan: “I thought they’d just let Labat go to the hoop, or foul him, but all that stuff happens pretty fast. It’s just too bad that shot didn’t win the game because we didn’t have much left for overtime.”

With Floyd, who had fouled out with 27 seconds left, and center Ricky Butler, who fouled out with 8:07 remaining, on the bench, the Anteaters were no match for Virginia in overtime.

“We were obviously much fresher in overtime,” Holland said. “I think Palmer especially was tired.”

The Anteaters were left to ponder what might have been, especially if Palmer had made a shot in the first half. He was 0 for 8 from the field in the first half, but came back to lead Irvine with 21 points, hitting 5 of 11 second-half 3-pointers. Floyd added 20 points.

Guards Richard Morgan, who had career highs in points (27) and rebounds (10), and Crotty, who tied his career highs with 20 points and 6 rebounds, led the Cavaliers.

“You don’t how bad we needed Kevin and Ricky out there in overtime,” said Palmer, who played 39 minutes. “We had to go with what we had, but my legs were gone on those last couple of shots. If we had those guys, we would have won.”

Irvine, which has made a habit of digging itself a deep hole in the opening minutes of virtually every game this season, stuck with the routine. The Anteaters, who fell behind, 11-3, made only 2 of their first 12 field-goal attempts. But Irvine outscored the Cavaliers, 15-2, in a 6-minute stretch midway through the first half and trailed by only 2 (40-38) at intermission.

Virginia had only a 23-22 rebounding advantage at the half, but Butler picked up his fourth foul with 16:38 remaining, and with the 6-foot 7-inch sophomore on the bench most of the second half, the Cavaliers played volleyball against the glass and wound up with a 57-38 rebounding margin.

“There were a number of key factors in the game,” Mulligan said. “Losing Ricky was one, of course. And the time they got 4 offensive rebounds before scoring (on a tipin by Bryant Stith to go up, 85-78, with 2:29 left in regulation) was a big play.

“We also came into the game not wanting to let Crotty beat us with the dribble, but he must have penetrated at least 15 times.”

On one of those drives, Crotty, who had 7 assists, beat Floyd and Butler ended up fouling out. Much to his chagrin, Butler was called for a blocking foul. He not only got to watch the rest of the game from the bench, but received a technical foul for his protestations. Morgan hit the free throw to make it 67-61, but then you can find a lot of turning points in a game that goes into overtime.

“I think Virginia may have underestimated us a bit,” Mulligan said. “But then I would too after watching some of our tapes. They were getting ready to go on vacation and everything.”

And the Anteaters headed home for Christmas with an overtime loss to put under the tree, which for them, is not a bad gift, considering the way things have been going.