Green Gives UC Irvine a Lift, 82-75

Guard Jerry Green was moving and shaking, like he did last year at Pomona High. This, though, was a step up to another level.

Green scored 22 points, 16 in the final 12 minutes, to lead UC Irvine to an 82-75 victory over Brigham Young on Tuesday night in front of 1,763 at Irvine’s Bren Center.

“I needed to have more confidence and run the team,” said Green, a 6-foot-3 freshman who averaged 30 points a game at Pomona last season. “I have had confidence all my life, that’s what my parents have always told me. I’ve played eight [college] games now and I know what to do.”

There was no arguing that Tuesday. Green made eight of 14 shots and also had four assists. His 6-foot jump shot gave Irvine a 48-44 lead with 12 minutes left and started a 10-2 Anteater run.

It was Green who kept the Anteaters (3-5) from collapsing when BYU’s Silester Rivers went on a tear. Irvine was up, 60-50, with seven minutes left when Rivers took his first shot, a layup off a post move. He scored BYU’s next 16 points.

But Green had an answer when things got tough. He hit a 10-foot jumper to give Irvine a 64-60 lead and sank a three-point basket to make it 70-62.

Michael Vranes had 19 points and Nathan Cooper 16 to lead BYU (4-7).