Anteaters Come Up Way Short
Just two nights after finding out what it could do if it put its mind and heart into it, UC Irvine’s basketball team discovered what is still beyond its capabilities.
By the time Pacific had completed a 66-43 victory in front of a season-high 2,557 in the Bren Center Saturday, the Anteaters knew just how far they still had to go with this rebuilding thing. For the Tigers, who wrapped up the Big West Conference’s Western Division title last week, it was another day off the calendar until the conference tournament begins.
Irvine had outplayed and beaten a more talented Long Beach State team Thursday. This time, the Anteaters stayed close for a while, then their offense took a holiday, an extended one.
Leading, 39-38, Pacific went on a 27-5 run in the last 12 minutes, with 7-foot senior Michael Olowokandi scoring 10 of his team-high 21 points in that span.
“Pacific is what we want to be,” said freshman guard Jason Flowers, who had a team-high 19 points. “I mean, they are leading the league. That’s where we want to be.”
Ah, but no one walks away a loser in the Western Division, even when they lose. Irvine (8-16, 5-9) remained tied for second place with Long Beach and Cal State Fullerton, a half game ahead of UC Santa Barbara and Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. Irvine plays Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo on the road next week.
“I’ll start thinking about that tomorrow,” Coach Pat Douglass said. “Right now, I still have this game on my mind.”
There seemed little left to ponder.
Junior Bond’s three-pointer gave Irvine a 36-34 lead with 14 minutes 47 seconds left. Bond hit a 14-footer with 12:47 left and Irvine trailed, 39-38. Then the Anteaters went eight minutes without a field goal, missing 10 shots and turning the ball over four times. Pacific went on a 20-1 run.
“It seems we went a lifetime without a point,” Douglass said. “It would have been nice to upset Pacific. If you don’t get any offense, you’re not going to get an upset.”
Olowokandi can also throw a crimp into those plans.
Not many lottery picks come through the Bren Center . . . a lottery winner would be just as likely. While Olowokandi’s entourage had diminished Saturday to three NBA scouts--five fewer than were Thursday at Fullerton--his presence hadn’t shrunk a bit.
Olowokandi made eight of nine shots, and would have probably scored more had the Anteaters not fouled him so often. He made five of 12 free throws, but the tactic also cost the Anteaters their most effective center, as 6-10 Andrew Carlson fouled out with 16:44 left.
On defense, Olowokandi was a bigger problem, as he covered up any mistakes the Tigers made on the perimeter.
“You can beat any of their guys off the dribble,” Bond said. “Then you get inside and there’s big No. 55 in your face. He’s not on your mind when you’re out there, but then you get near the basket and you start thinking about him.”
Irvine shot 28.3% from the field, tying the school record for inaccuracy. The Tigers shot 55%. Pacific had a 47-23 rebounding edge, as Olowokandi had a career-high 20. Irvine’s leading rebounder had three.
But the Tigers made only 18 of 35 free throws and that helped the Anteaters stay close. It was a physical game, at one point Flowers and Aaron Woliczko collided and went to the floor, got up and nearly went after each other. Both received technical fouls.
Pacific missed its first nine free throws. While that kept Irvine in the game, it also kept Ben Jones and Adam Stetson, two of the Anteaters best shooters on the bench. Both fouled out with five minutes left.
Flowers, who had a 25-point game against Long Beach, scored 14 points in the first half and Irvine trailed only, 29-26, at halftime.
