UC Irvine’s Offense Fails in 98-83 Loss

Football fever has swept across the University of Colorado campus.

The Orange Bowl is only 2 1/2 weeks away and locals can’t wait until the No. 1-ranked Buffaloes play Notre Dame for a chance to win the national championship.

Maybe that’s why only 2,234 watched Colorado and UC Irvine play a nonconference basketball game Wednesday in the 11,199-seat Events Center.

Then again, maybe the good folks of Boulder have seen Irvine play this season.

Irvine, hobbled by injuries to its point guards, couldn’t keep pace offensively with Colorado and lost, 98-83.

The Anteaters (1-5) are off to their worst start since the school began playing basketball in 1965. Colorado is 7-1 and off to its best start in years, although few in Boulder have noticed.

Irvine didn’t play any better a mile high than it has at sea level this season.

All the telltale signs were present. The Anteaters’ offense was sluggish, they committed a season-high 24 turnovers, 13 in the first half, and they shot below 50% from the field for the third consecutive game.

“I think our offense is not executing anything right now,” said Jeff Herdman, who led Irvine with 20 points.

“You can’t blame that all on injuries. (We’re doing) nothing. It’s unbelievable.”

Point guard Rod Palmer missed his second game in a row with a sprained knee. Backup Ben Rishwain is sidelined by a broken index finger and couldn’t play either.

Irvine missed Palmer dearly, but neither Herdman, who also had 13 rebounds, or Irvine Coach Bill Mulligan would use it as an excuse.

“It hurts us,” Mulligan said. “We’re supposed to bring it up by committee. (But) they lose their poise and do whatever they want.”

Mulligan tried Mike Labat, a forward, and shooting guards Craig Marshall and Dylan Rigdon at point guard, but none of the three were effective.

“We just had all those turnovers in the first half and they all seemed to result in baskets,” Mulligan said.

Irvine stayed close until Colorado guard Stevie Wise hit a three-point basket that gave the Buffaloes a 29-20 lead with 6:12 to play in the half. The Buffaloes’ lead grew to 44-31 by halftime.

Wise put the game out of reach by hitting three three-point baskets to begin the half, the last giving Colorado a 53-33 lead. The Buffaloes led by as many as 28 points late in the game.

Wise had 29 to lead Colorado. Center Shaun Vandiver added 16 and Rodell Guest 13.