Irvine Gets Well, Beating Hapless Texas Tech, 96-81

UC Irvine was in need of a salve after its 33-point loss to UCLA Friday.

The Anteaters’ opponent Saturday was one of the most likely teams to provide one.

Texas Tech entered the game with the longest losing streak in Division I, 19 games. It stretched to 20 after Irvine’s 96-81 victory before 5,443 in Sullivan Arena in the second round of the Great Alaska Shootout.

Irvine plays at 4 p.m. today, facing Siena, a team that lost an upset bid against 18th-ranked Virginia in the first round.

Beating Texas Tech gave the Anteaters (1-1) a .500 record for the first time since two games into the 1988-89 season. They struggled to a 5-23 record last season, the worst in school history, and lost a school-record 15 games in a row.

“After the game, our guys were trying to act casual like they win all the time,” Irvine Coach Bill Mulligan said. “Hey, a win is a win. We needed it--not that Texas Tech doesn’t.”

Irvine once again played the pressing, running game with an emphasis on three-point shots that it threw at UCLA. The Anteaters attempted 36 three-pointers, making 11. Four of those were by Jeff Herdman, who led Irvine with 20 points and 13 rebounds.