Big Plunge Helps Irvine End Streak

UC Irvine had already plunged to the bottom of the Big West Conference standings. So at the end of practice the day before the Anteaters’ game against San Jose State on Saturday night in the Bren Center, Coach Rod Baker asked his players to join hands and led the team to the campus pool, where the whole crew dived in wearing their practice togs.

After eight consecutive losses, the Anteaters (3-11, 1-6) were ready to try anything. Their coach’s gimmick may have worked. Irvine broke through with a 73-64 victory over San Jose State in front of 2,327.

It was the Anteaters’ first January victory since 1991, a streak that covered 17 games.

San Jose State (5-11, 2-6) lost its 17th consecutive road game.

“Tonight we decided it was really important to play with emotion,” Baker said.

The players’ emotions about their swimming expedition started as disbelief.

“I would never have expected that in a million years,” said forward Jeff Von Lutzow, who scored 16 points.

Lloyd Mumford, Irvine’s point guard, said he had to blow dry his shoes to get them dry in time for the game. He managed fine, threatening for a triple-double with 21 points, nine assists and a game-high eight rebounds.

“(Baker) asked us if we trusted each other, and said that was one of the problems the team had,” Mumford said. “We were standing on the edge of the pool and he said, ‘Take a step forward.’ ”

The player who made the biggest splash was center Dee Boyer, who had been ineffective lately. He finished with 11 points, six rebounds and three blocks.

Keith Stewart, Mumford’s backcourt partner, had 16 points and six rebounds.