UC Irvine Hits Rock Bottom in Loss to San Jose, 75-69

UC Irvine Coach Bill Mulligan stood, hands on hips, in front of the Anteaters’ bench trying to make sense of what was happening at the Bren Center Thursday night.

Ten minutes after watching San Jose State pull away for its first Big West Conference victory in 18 games, Mulligan still couldn’t believe it.

Irvine hit bottom with a 75-69 loss to San Jose before 2,017.

“Right now we’re the weakest team in the league, no question about it,” Mulligan said.

Irvine falls to 2-9 overall, 0-2 in Big West play. San Jose is 4-7, 1-1.

Andre Brooks, one of 15 newcomers Coach Stan Morrison has brought in, had a game-high 22 points to lead San Jose.

Brooks had 11 of his 22 points in the first seven minutes of the second half to push San Jose into the lead, 48-44.

The lead had gone back and forth until then. Irvine led, 34-33, at halftime, only the third time this season the Anteaters had the lead after 20 minutes.

Irvine made one late run at San Jose, erasing an eight-point lead but couldn’t take the lead after tying the score, 59-59, with 4:17 left.

Tom Desiano, who added 12 points, made six free throws in the final 1:05 as San Jose held on.

Ricky Butler led Irvine with 17 points. Justin Anderson and Jeff Herdman had 12 each.

Irvine shot a season-low 36.9% from the field, 53.8% from the free-throw line and had 20 turnovers.

“I think we’re headed for the cellar this year,” Butler said. “Everyone’s looking at us as a win.”