Irvine Loses Palmer for Utah State Game
Last season, UC Irvine finished 9-9 and in fifth place in the Big West Conference. This year, the Anteaters could go 10-8, end up in a five-way tie for third and, because of complicated tiebreaker rules, be the seventh-seeded team in the conference tournament.
Irvine (11-14 overall, 8-8 in the Big West) got more bad news Wednesday when guard Rod Palmer, who has the flu, went home to Compton to recuperate.
Junior Mike Labat will replace Palmer in the starting lineup tonight when Irvine plays host to Utah State (11-14, 9-7) in a game that will be nationally televised on ESPN at 8:30.
The Anteaters, who started 1-8 on the road, have won their last three road games. But they have lost three in a row at home.
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