UC Irvine Beaten in Chattanooga Final
Keith Nelson scored 32 points, including 15 in the final nine minutes, as Tennessee Chattanooga rallied to beat UC Irvine, 88-68, Saturday night in the championship game of the Tennessee Chattanooga tournament.
Irvine (5-7) closed to within 60-58 on Craig Marshall’s layup with 9:00 to play. But Nelson and Derrick Kirce, who scored eight of his 15 points in the final nine minutes, keyed a run as Tennessee Chattanooga (6-5) of the Southern Conference outscored the Anteaters, 28-10.
Irvine led most of the first half while making seven of 13 three-point shots before Nelson hit a free throw to key the Moccasins’ comeback for a 43-40 lead with 1:14 left.
Irvine tied the game, 43-43, at halftime, but went cold from three-point range and made one of 10 attempts in the second half.
Jeff Herdman led Irvine with 16 points. Cornelius Banks had 12 points and Dylan Rigdon 11.
Irvine’s next game will be Wednesday at Utah State. The Anteaters then play at San Jose State in their Big West Conference opener next Friday.
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