Anteaters Play Like Lambs but Still Beat Lions

In the span of a few days, UC Irvine went from feeling pretty good about a 12-point loss to being somewhat lukewarm about a 10-point victory.

The Anteaters called it progress.

They struggled in a 69-59 victory over Loyola Marymount Wednesday night in front of 553 at Gersten Pavilion. But a victory is a victory, even if Irvine did play better in an 80-68 loss to Oklahoma Saturday.

“It wasn’t a clean game and there were things we could have done better,” said senior forward Marek Ondera, who spent most of the game in foul trouble. “We still have to learn to play 40 minutes. But we got the win and that’s the main thing.”

With it, the Anteaters (2-2) reached a dubious plateau. This is the deepest into a season they have had a .500 record since 1995-96. That’s how bad things have been.

Improvement hasn’t come in leaps and bounds, as was apparent Wednesday. But just enough Anteaters did just enough good things to put the Lions (1-3) away.

Center Greg Ethington, scoreless in two games in Oklahoma, had 10 points in a 13-3 run that gave Irvine a 44-37 lead with 14 minutes left. Ethington finished with 10 points and seven rebounds.

Ben Jones, who is out of position at power forward, filled in well for Ondera with seven rebounds, six coming in the second half. He also hit a three-pointer and a reverse layup on back-to-back possessions to cap a 12-3 run for a 62-47 lead with 4:20 left.

Guard Jerry Green was sporadic, but scored 16 points. Guard Zamiro Bennem made cameo appearances, but finished with 10 points.

“The combined play of everyone was big tonight,” Coach Pat Douglass said. “We had guys off the bench who gave us a lift.”

It didn’t require a complete effort. The 10-point loss was Loyola’s best performance against a Division I team this season.

The Lions shot 29% and had only two field goals in the first 12 minutes of the second half. They have a large front line, both in height and girth, yet were out-rebounded 45-29. They got to the foul line 24 times in the second half, but wasted it by missing nine of the free throws.

Despite its erratic play, Loyola led, 30-29, at halftime. Irvine shot better and rebounded better but turned the ball over 11 times. A portion of that was attributable to Green, who had played well in Oklahoma.

“Sometimes when you’re beating everyone, you try to take too much on,” Douglass said. “We allow him some freedom, but sometimes he has to be in the flow.”

It was hard to blame Green. Not much flowed for Irvine this night.

Ethington looked the smoothest, even if it was for only four minutes in the second half. He scored on a reverse layup, then hit a free throw on Irvine’s next possession to tie the score, 34-34. He made two jump hooks, then a three-pointer and the Anteaters went ahead for good.