UC Irvine Loses Sixth in a Row

This time it was forward Adam Stetson lying face down on the court.

This time it was center Matt Willard who had a split-second of opportunity, only to miss a chance at the buzzer in UC Irvine’s 73-71 Big West Conference loss to Cal Poly San Luis Obispo Thursday.

Only the faces changed.

It was a desperate chance for Willard, who grabbed Zamiro Bennem’s half-court heave under the basket with a second left. Willard, in one motion, tried to lay the ball in, only to have it graze the front of the rim. It sent Stetson to the floor in anguish and left 2,687 in Mott Gymnasium more than a little relieved.

“It’s so frustrating,” said Stetson, who finished with 12 points. “Every game we’re in it at the end and we don’t hit the shot. Hopefully, the situation will fall the other way.”

It hasn’t so far. The Anteaters won’t be enjoying the February sweeps period next week. They will be watching reruns in film sessions.

On Saturday, it was Marek Ondera who had a last-second shot hit the rim in a one-point loss to Long Beach State, leaving guard Jerry Green face down in agony.

Green figured again Thursday, this time with the score tied, 71-71. He had the ball out front and chose to shoot a three-pointer over Jeremiah Mayes, the Mustangs’ 6-foot-8 forward, with 12 seconds left.

“We wanted him to try to penetrate,” Coach Pat Douglass said.

Said Green: “[Mayes] is a wide guy, there was no way to get around him.”

His shot hit the rim and the Mustangs’ Jabbar Washington grabbed the rebound and found Mike Wozniak flying down the right side. Wozniak, unlike Green, went to the basket, scoring a layup with five seconds left.

“You see lots of games where guys miss shots at the end,” Douglass said. “Hopefully, we’re getting this all out of the way this year.”

Irvine (5-12, 1-6) has lost six consecutive games and solidified its hold on last place in the Western Division, two games behind underachieving San Luis Obispo (8-10, 3-4), which was picked by many to win the division.

“It’s rough,” Green said. “But life goes on.”

The Anteaters haven’t fallen gently into this position. Besides the Long Beach loss, they blew an 11-point lead against Pacific last Thursday.

“It’s hard to stay positive,” said Ondera, who had 12 points and seven rebounds despite playing on a badly sprained ankle. “Things have to get better.”

At times Thursday that didn’t seem possible.

Irvine made only five of its first 18 shots--and Ondera, limping, had four of the baskets. The Anteaters shot 33% in the first half and trailed, 42-34.

Green, the team’s leading scorer, was two of nine in the first half. That included missing a dunk on a breakaway. He had company. Ondera slammed the ball off the back of the rim in the second half. Guard Gabe Cagwin got impatient and launched a three-pointer with no other Anteater near the basket moments later.

With such help--plus Mayes (16 points, 13 rebounds) and Wozniak (15 points)--the Mustangs built a 61-49 lead with 14 minutes left. Irvine then went on an 18-4 run.

Green led the comeback, scoring 16 of his game-high 21 points in the second half. Cagwin scored 14, nine in the second half, and made four of eight three-pointers.

“We played pretty good,” Douglass said. “We were down and we hung in there and hung in there. We had a chance to win and they hit the shot. That seems to be the story.”

With sequels.

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Big West Race

Through Thursday’s games

WEST

*--*

Conference Overall Team W L Pct. W L Pct. UC Santa Barbara 5 2 .714 7 10 .412 Long Beach State 5 3 .625 8 10 .444 Pacific 4 3 .571 9 8 .529 Cal Poly SLO 3 4 .429 8 10 .444 Cal State Fullerton 3 4 .429 9 8 .529 UC Irvine 1 6 .143 5 12 .294

*--*

EAST

*--*

Conference Overall Team W L Pct. W L Pct. New Mexico State 7 0 1.000 15 5 .750 Boise State 6 1 .857 13 4 .765 Idaho 5 3 .625 10 7 .588 Utah State 3 4 .429 10 8 .556 North Texas 1 6 .143 1 16 .059 Nevada 0 7 .000 4 13 .235

*--*

Thursday’s results

Boise State 61, Long Beach State 57

Cal Poly SLO 73, UC Irvine 71

New Mexico State 75, Nevada 63

Pacific 60, Idaho 59

UC Santa Barbara 73, Cal State Fullerton 54

Utah State 92, North Texas 61