UC Irvine Wins Second in Row

UC Irvine blew another lead Saturday night, but this time the Anteaters held onto the game.

Irvine went from a 13-point lead in the first half to an eight-point deficit in the second, but came back and made the plays down the stretch for an 80-75 victory over Utah State in front of 1,489 in the Bren Center.

After losing 11 games in a row, the Anteaters (5-16, 2-10) have a two-game winning streak.

Keith Stewart, who scored 15 points in his second game as a starter, gave Irvine the lead for good when he drove the left side and pulled up for a four-foot bank shot, even though he was bumped. His free throw gave Irvine a 72-70 lead with 50 seconds left.

The Anteaters made the big plays down the stretch.

Jeff Von Lutzow, a 78.6% free-throw shooter, made six of six free throws in the final 32 seconds, and Irvine didn’t miss from the line in its final 15 attempts.

“Good teams make the plays at the end,” Irvine Coach Rod Baker said. “I don’t think we’re playing any differently, except at the end we’re making plays.”

Von Lutzow and Gerald McDonald scored 19 points.

Kendall Youngblood scored 17 points for Utah State (11-8, 5-5), but made only seven of 19 shots. Malloy Nesmith, Utah State’s quick point guard, brought the Aggies back and staked them to a lead in the second half, scoring 18 points.

Utah State centers Carlito DaSilva, who averages 15 points and seven rebounds, and Nathan Wickizer both fouled out.