Pacific Uses a Late Run to Beat Irvine

UC Irvine was trying to win back-to-back road games for the first time in four years. Pacific was trying to win five games in a row for the first time since 1981.

It was the Tigers, having their best season since 1975, who got what they were after with a 65-56 Big West Conference victory Saturday night in front of 4,330 in the Spanos Center.

The game was tied, 53-53, with 2:39 left after Irvine point guard Lloyd Mumford made a three-pointer. But Pacific’s Tony Amundsen struck back with a three-pointer only 19 seconds later, igniting a 12-0 run that put the Tigers (15-9, 11-5) safely ahead.

Amundsen scored 15 points on six-of-11 shooting and made three of eight three-pointers.

After Irvine’s Jeff Von Lutzow missed a shot from a tangle of players inside, Pacific’s Robert Richardson scored and was fouled on the other end and made the free throw.

Irvine turned the ball over on its next possession when Mumford’s pass for Von Lutzow rolled out of bounds, and Pacific was on its way.

Richardson finished with a game-high 19 points and Chuck Terrell added 16 for the Tigers.

Irvine (6-17, 4-10) was playing without second-leading scorer Keith Stewart, who missed Thursday’s 67-62 victory over San Jose State and Saturday’s game because he briefly fell below the 12-unit course minimum required for eligibility.

Pacific focused on Von Lutzow, and held him in check with 15 points. Irvine shot 37% and committed 22 turnovers.