Anteaters Fumble and Fall to New Mexico State

How bad is the Big West Conference?

UC Irvine is only two games out of spot in the conference tournament.

How bad are the Anteaters?

Well, they’re still two games out of a spot in the conference tournament.

Even if New Mexico State’s 81-47 victory Saturday was predictable, it nonetheless underscored Irvine’s inability to become a convincing contender, even for something as minimal as a spot in the Big West Conference tournament.

The highlights Saturday were few. Irvine’s Boris Reznik scored his first career field goal and the Anteaters doubled their attendance from Thursday night, as 1,015 came to the Bren Center.

Only 490 watched the double overtime loss to North Texas Thursday.

Still, you can’t stop folks from dreaming.

“If [UC] Santa Barbara loses, were still only two out,” Coach Rod Baker said. “That won’t change.”

Santa Barbara defeated Boise State, 60-57, Saturday. Ah, but Cal State Fullerton’s overtime loss to North Texas kept the Anteaters two games behind the Titans in the conference’s western division. Irvine (1-18, 1-9) and Fullerton (10-10, 3-7) play Thursday.

So even teams that lose 18 of 19 games can have key games.

“With our record, it’s kind of surprising that we still have a chance,” Irvine guard Lamarr Parker said. “We have to try to take advantage of it because that opportunity is not going to be there for long.”

Especially the way the Anteaters play.

Saturday was just their standard evening, even a little above average in some ways. They matched their season high with 30 turnovers for third time this season. New Mexico State (13-7, 7-3), which won its sixth consecutive game, also had a 36-20 rebound advantage.

The Anteaters also scored fewer than 50 points for the sixth time. It was their third worst loss of the season and the fifth time they have lost by 30 or more points. The aftermath included the standard feel-bad-for-Baker comment from an opposing coach.

“Rod is doing a good job, believe it or not,” Aggie Coach Neil McCarthy said. “Right now, they are a little short on the talent side.”

His first hint came just seconds into the game. The Anteaters turned the ball over on their first possession for the ninth time this season. Four of their five starters had at least five turnovers, led by Juma Jackson’s six.

And they were creative. At one point, New Mexico State players were late getting back onto the court after a timeout. The Aggies still intercepted the inbounds pass.

It wasn’t until the game was 7 minutes 21 seconds old that the Anteaters had as many shots as turnovers, six. By halftime, they were even, 17 turnovers and 17 shots, and the Aggies were way ahead, 44-22.

New Mexico State put the game away with a 20-4 run to take a 31-11 lead with 7:45 left in the half. Paul Foster had six of Irvine’s points in a one-minute flurry.

Foster finished with 12 points and was six of six from the field. The Anteaters actually shot better than the Aggies from the field, 54% to 48%, but got 25 less shots. It was the second time in three games that Irvine shot better than an opponent and was beaten soundly.

Still, as of now, the Anteaters are only two games out of a spot in the conference tournament.

“We talk about that a lot,” Baker said, “but you’ve got to win conference games.”