Anteaters Scrap Press, Shoot Past Fresno : UC Irvine: Mulligan decides to use a half-court defense. Rigdon scores 31 points and Herdman has 24 in 105-82 victory.

UC Irvine’s Dylan Rigdon called it “a numbness, like a dream.” Not for Fresno State Coach Gary Colson.

“My worst nightmare, seeing them bomb away for threes and make them like they did,” Colson said after Irvine ran over Fresno State, 105-82, making 15 of 26 three-point shots before 2,158 Wednesday night in the Bren Center.

“You’re focused, not worried about what to do,” Rigdon said. “Every time you get the ball, you know.”

Loft it, Rigdon. Put it up, Jeff Herdman.

Irvine (7-9, 2-2 in the Big West) was on the other end of the score Monday, when the University of the Pacific beat the Anteaters by 21 points.

But by Wednesday, Irvine Coach Bill Mulligan had reversed field, scrapping the Anteaters’ gambling full-court press. The Anteaters discovered a defense and unleashed their shooters.

Herdman scored eight points in the first 88 seconds, including two first-pass three-pointers, and had 23 points by halftime. He finished with 24 points and a career-high 16 rebounds for his second double-double in a row and his third this season.

It was one of two on the night for Irvine; center Ricky Butler had 18 points and 10 rebounds for his third double-double of the season.

Neither one did enough to be the leading scorer. That honor went to Rigdon, who made seven of 12 three-pointers and scored a career-high 31 points, 22 of them in the second half.

It was one of those nights shooters live for.

“You’re in a rhythm,” Rigdon said. “I got into one in the second half, Jeff was in one in the first half.”

Herdman made five of seven three-pointers in the first half. There were the quick first two, then one that made it 21-8 Irvine. Then another that made it 31-15 and a fifth for a 45-33 lead.

“They were playing off me, I think the guy on me was at the free-throw line the first two,” Herdman said. “Then he got on me and I drove by him. Then they realized I was going to shoot whatever they did.”

They paid attention to him in the second half as well, to no avail. Herdman took only two shots in the second half and scored only one point, but Rigdon took over.

“Rigdon’s probably a better shooter than me and they’re taking care of me,” Herdman said. “I became a passer.”

The game was a sudden reversal for Fresno State (7-6, 2-2), which beat UC Santa Barbara Monday.

“I gotta give credit to Irvine,” Colson said. “When they get on a roll--I call it when you get happy--there’s not a lot you can do to make them sad. And if you go out on them, they get it in to Butler.”

Wilbert Hooker scored 26 points for Fresno State, but Tod Bernard, the team’s leading scorer, was held to 12 points, eight below his average.

Attribute that in part to Irvine’s half-court defense. Hooker tore through the lane early in the first half, only to see his shot rejected by Herdman. A minute later, Hooker was the victim of one of Jeff Von Lutzow’s five blocks. All told, Irvine blocked 15 shots.

The improved halfcourt defense--the existence of a halfcourt defense--might well have been the result of calling off the press.

“We played so hard defensively in the halfcourt,” Rigdon said, “we didn’t get so tired as we do when we try to press full court. It doesn’t take so much out of you.”

Mulligan quit pressing despite his vow this season that he wouldn’t.

“I’m gonna do it, because I’m hardheaded,” he said.

But after Monday’s loss, he changed his mind, risking the ridicule he heard two seasons ago when he overhauled the team’s philosophy in mid-season.

“I don’t want people to say, ‘There goes Mulligan, changing. He doesn’t know what he’s doing,’ ” Mulligan said.

A 23-point victory can do a lot to head off criticism and a lot to soothe Monday’s loss.

“It’s very hard to describe,” Mulligan said. “It’s like day and night, like Alaska and Palm Beach.”

Anteater Notes

UC Irvine had its largest rebounding margin of the season, 57-36. . . . Jeff Herdman, who had attempted only 11 free throws all season, was five of seven from the line after being told by Coach Bill Mulligan to drive and draw the foul. . . . Next for the Anteaters: At Cal State Long Beach Friday.