Mulligan Sees Positives in Exhibition Defeat

UC Irvine offered something new and something old in its exhibition basketball game against High Five America Saturday night.

Gerald McDonald, a 6-foot junior point guard, jumped center against Antwahn Nance, 6-9, and won the tip.

Ricky Butler showed off his new, leaner physique, leaping over the press table to save a loose ball.

But it was also clear the Anteaters still haven’t worked out all of the kinks from a 5-23 1989-90 season, the worst in the school’s 25-year history.

Twenty-nine turnovers, 53.1% free-throw shooting and 49 points by High Five’s Troy Lewis were too much for Irvine, which lost, 127-122, before 1,107 in the Bren Center.

Irvine Coach Bill Mulligan nevertheless liked what he saw.

“We’re encouraged,” he said. “We made a million mistakes, and we know that.”

The Anteaters’ run-until-you-drop offense looked as if it needed a little work, but there is still time before they open for real against UCLA in the Great Alaska Shootout Nov. 23.

Irvine’s fast break and a near-total collapse by High Five, a barnstorming team of former college stars fighting drug and alcohol abuse, nearly wiped out a 21-point deficit.

“That (running and gunning) is what we’re going to do all year,” Mulligan said. “I’m not going to change. I don’t care what anybody says.”

Butler--who has dropped 20 to 25 pounds since last season, according to Mulligan--McDonald and Dylan Rigdon led the comeback for Irvine, which trailed, 83-62 less than four minutes in the second half.

Rigdon had a chance to bring Irvine even at 119-all with 1:14 left but made only one of two free throws, and that was as close as Irvine got.

Lewis, who hit all manner of drives to the basket and three-point jumpers, made a layup and went four-for-four from the line in the final minute.

Lewis was an All-Big Ten guard at Purdue. He was 16 for 22, including four for six on three-pointers, and made 13 of 16 from the line.

Butler, who injured his left knee in a workout last Sunday and practiced only lightly this week, had 24 points to lead Irvine despite playing just 18 minutes because of exhaustion and foul trouble. He fouled out with 5:01 left after making 11 of 13 shots from the field.

Later, Butler, a 6-7, 245-pound senior center, was asked if he felt quicker having shed the extra weight.

“Didn’t you see me dunking out there?” he said. “I feel good about the team. I think we’re going to be good.”

Rigdon had 23 points, McDonald 15 and Jeff Herdman 13 for Irvine, which next plays the Finnish National Team Nov. 12.