Irvine Finds Cure for Losing

The Big West prescription for whatever ails you: Take five Spartans and get a good night’s rest.

San Jose State scored only 14 points in the first half while shooting 18% from the field and UC Irvine, coming off three consecutive embarrassing defeats, rolled, 79-49, Thursday night before 2,398 at the Bren Center.

The Anteaters, who also got relief by beating the Spartans earlier this season after losing their first six conference games, led by as many as 39 and the walk-ons played the last five minutes. Irvine is 9-12, 5-9 in the Big West.

Just how bad was it for the Spartans (1-20, 0-13)?

--With Irvine holding a San Francisco 49er-type Super-Bowl lead (49-17) early in the second half, Spartan forward Marmet Williams’ layup attempt spun around the rim and dropped off. An Anteater fan screamed, “Ooohh, you guys almost scored again!”

--San Jose State scored a third of its points in the last five minutes against an Irvine lineup that included four players who had combined to play 22 minutes all year.

“I was embarrassed by our effort and terribly disappointed by it,” Spartan Coach Stan Morrison said.