Irvine Falls to Fresno, Record Skid Reaches 12

UC Irvine’s losing streak, now standing tall at a school-record 12, marched relentlessly onward Thursday night.

And when and where it will end is anybody’s guess.

Fresno State was the latest team to defeat the Anteaters, pulling out a 78-75 victory before 1,440 in the Bren Center.

“I’ve been winning for so long, and not just here, I guess it evens up,” said Irvine Coach Bill Mulligan of the Irvine streak that has eclipsed the previous record of 11 set in January and February of 1980. “It’s a game we could have won. But eight of the 10 (Big West Conference games) we could have won.”

Not until Irvine’s Justin Anderson missed a desperation three-pointer at the buzzer, did Fresno State have the game won, however.

The Bulldogs (8-10 overall, 3-6 in Big West Conference play) blew a 16-point first-half lead, then almost let a seven-point lead slip away in the final 3 minutes 19 seconds.

Indeed, Irvine could have won for the first time since a Dec. 16 victory over San Diego State. But Elgin Rogers missed the front end of a one-and-one opportunity with Irvine down, 76-75, and 15 seconds left.

“Rogers has a one-and-one and I say to myself, ‘We’re going to win a game--on free throws (no less),” Mulligan said.

After Rogers’ miss, Fresno grabbed the rebound and called time. Irvine tried to foul when play resumed, but couldn’t catch the Bulldogs.

Finally, Don May grabbed Wilbert Hooker, the conference’s leading free-throw shooter at 84%. His free throws gave Fresno a 78-75 lead.

Hooker led the Bulldogs with 24 points, making 13 of 15 free throws. Tod Bernard and Dave Barnett each added 17 for the Bulldogs.

Dylan Rigdon, one of three freshmen Mulligan started, had a career-high 20 points to lead Irvine (2-17, 0-10).

Yes, Rigdon said, he was happy with his performance. “But we lost,” he said.

Yes, Rigdon said, he was more aggressive and brimming with confidence in getting his first start. “But we still lost,” he said.

He also was pleased Mulligan went back to the double low-post offense he has used until recently, junking the five-man passing game.

Rigdon figured prominently in another shake-up by Mulligan, who trotted out his 14th different lineup in 19 games.

This one featured Rigdon, freshmen Jeff Von Lutzow (11 points) and Craig Marshall (four), along with sophomore Rogers (14) and senior Rod Palmer (seven).

Ricky Butler and Jeff Herdman, Irvine’s top scorers, were among the Anteaters watching from the bench as the game began.

“During the week, everybody (Irvine players and coaches) said we could get a win (with the new lineup),” Mulligan said.

Irvine got off to yet another miserable start, however.

The Anteaters didn’t make a field goal until Von Lutzow’s leaning jumper with 15:34 left in the first half. They trailed, 11-5.

Irvine’s next basket came on Rogers’ dunk with 9:24 left. The Anteaters trailed, 19-7.

But, as is their method of operation, the Anteaters made a game of it in the second half.

Irvine took the lead, 57-56, on Rigdon’s three-pointer. It lasted only as long as it took the Bulldogs to work the ball to Bernard, who hit a jumper with Palmer draped over him.

Palmer was called for a foul and Bernard made the free throw.

Marshall hit a five-foot jumper to tie it, 59-59, with 8:38 left, but Hooker made two free throws at the other end and the Bulldogs never gave up the lead.

ANTEATER WOES

The game-by-game record of UC Irvine’s school record 12-game losing streak:

Date Opponent Score Dec. 19 Pepperdine 81-71 Dec. 21 Loyola of Chicago(H) 78-72 Jan. 2 Utah State*(H) 80-70 Jan. 4 San Jose State*(H) 75-69 Jan. 7 Fresno State* 67-57 Jan. 9 Pacific* 70-58 Jan. 11 CS Long Beach*(H) 49-48 Jan. 13 New Mexico State*(H) 88-75 Jan. 18 Nevada Las Vegas* 103-67 Jan. 20 UC Santa Barbara*(H) 73-66 Jan. 25 CS Fullerton* 82-55 Feb. 2 Fresno State*(H) 78-75

* Big West Conference game

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