Irvine Is Knocked Flat at San Jose

Four nights ago, after UC Irvine had clinched a first-round bye in next week’s Big West Conference tournament, one assistant coach was talking about bringing champagne up here to celebrate the Anteaters’ first conference championship.

Hopefully, it won’t go flat sitting in the bus until this weekend in Stockton when Irvine gets another shot at making school history.

Thursday night, San Jose State--a team with more on the line than the Anteaters--had all the effervescence and the Spartans burst the Anteaters’ bubble with an 81-70 victory in front of 2,002 in the Events Center.

The victory kept San Jose State, 9-16 overall and 8-9 in conference, alive in the race for the final spot in the six-team conference tournament and puts Irvine’s chance to clinch a share of the Big West title on hold until Saturday night--if Long Beach State loses at UC Santa Barbara--or Sunday, if the Anteaters beat University of the Pacific in Stockton.

San Jose, playing what Irvine Coach Rod Baker termed “relentless” defense, led by as many as 14 points in the first half. But the Spartans lost a little steam after the intermission and the Anteaters (15-10, 11-6) scratched back into a 51-51 tie with eight minutes left in the game.

But then San Jose forward Olivier Saint-Jean, a native of Paris, took control, making the last seven shots of the game. He scored 20 points in the final 7 1/2 minutes to finish with a career-high 30.

After the game, Saint-Jean talked more about his defensive effort against Irvine point guard Raimonds Miglinieks, who finished with nine points and four assists.

“Tonight Miglinieks wasn’t Miglinieks,” Saint-Jean said.

Also, Brian Keefe was held to seven points.