UC Irvine Drought Costs Dearly in Loss to UNLV

UC Irvine is no stranger to scoreless stretches, but this one stretched the imagination. For 9 minutes 45 seconds against Nevada Las Vegas on Monday night, Irvine was stuck at six points, clamped there by UNLV’s unyielding zone defense and the Anteaters’ own ineptitude.

By halftime of its 71-52 Big West Conference loss to the 25th-ranked Rebels, UC Irvine was behind, 35-12, on the way to its seventh consecutive loss.

It wasn’t the lowest-scoring half in Irvine history. In a 1980 game against Cal State Long Beach, the Anteaters scored eight points in the second half of a 30-26 slowdown loss.

But it is believed to be the lowest-scoring first half in school history.

UNLV, 15-2 and 7-0 in the Big West, opened in a man-to-man defense but soon switched to zone. Irvine spent much of its time passing the ball around the perimeter. When the Anteaters did penetrate, they were plagued by turnovers and UNLV shot-blockers, who rejected six shots in the first half, led by Elmore Spencer’s three blocks.

At the half, Irvine had made four of 23 shots--17.4%--and had missed its seven three-pointers.

Irvine (3-12, 0-6) has struggled offensively all season. But this performance, on the heels of a season-best 54% shooting game against Cal State Fullerton, was a distressing one, even if UNLV is holding its opponents to 37.2%.

It was the second meeting between these teams this season. Irvine lost to UNLV, 71-57, on Jan. 4 in the Bren Center in a game the Anteaters played without leading scorer and rebounder Elgin Rogers, who was benched for a game for discipline.

J.R. Rider scored 25 for UNLV, and Jeff Von Lutzow and Craig Marshall each had 10 for Irvine. Rogers scored only four points and had four rebounds.