UC Irvine Recovers to Win, 90-83

UC Irvine’s basketball team was watching from the stands when Mississippi Valley State was held to 10 points in the first half against second-ranked Kansas on Friday night.

Saturday night, Irvine found itself trailing Mississippi Valley State by 25 points in the second half. But with an 0-3 record staring them in the face, the Anteaters came back for a 90-83 victory in the consolation game of the Golden Harvest Classic at Kemper Arena.

Irvine was held to six field goals in the first half and shot 20%, and Mississippi Valley State (1-3) made 50% of its shots and took a 44-26 halftime lead.

But in the second half, Irvine Coach Rod Baker quit running 11 players in and out of the game and stuck with a core of six. Keith Stewart finished with a personal-best 27 points, including five three-pointers and an 18-point second half. Jeff Von Lutzow had 26 points and 12 rebounds, and point guard Lloyd Mumford broke out of a shooting slump to score 16.

The Anteaters shot 65.5% in the second half and broke Mississippi Valley State’s rhythm with changing defenses. The Delta Devils, who got 24 points from Bobby Green and 20 from Alphonso Ford, were held to one basket over a 4 1/2-minute stretch.

The Anteaters took a one-point lead on Mumford’s shot from the baseline with 3:49 to play, then took a 79-77 lead on Stewart’s three-pointer with 3:23 remaining.