Anteaters Miss Another Chance

UC Irvine hit the ceiling again.

The Anteaters let opportunities slip away Wednesday night. The game and, possibly, a chance for a little more respect followed. BYU used a strong second-half push for a 77-66 victory in front of 9,574 in the Marriott Center.

It was another night for the Anteaters (6-4) to feel good about their progress. But it was also another night when that’s all they had in the end.

Guard Terrell Lyday finally gave the Cougars (10-2) some breathing room, scoring 10 consecutive points to spark a 15-3 run that gave BYU a 61-49 lead with eight minutes to play.

Lyday scored 22 points, 19 in the second half. The Cougars shot 64% in the second half.

The Anteaters got as close as 66-60 in the final three minutes but wasted two chances to get closer. First, guard Malachi Edmond turned the ball over, then J.R. Christ missed two free throws.

The Cougars then made seven of eight free throws in the final minute.

“We have to take the positives,” said Irvine forward Marek Ondera, who had a team-high 20 points. “We did what we hoped to accomplish. This is a game that will help us in conference. But everybody wants to win.”

The Anteaters have been down this road before. Against Oklahoma, the score was tied with 10 minutes left and they lost by 12. Against California, Irvine got off to a good start and wilted, losing by 27.

This time the Anteaters started faster--scoring the first 12 points and leading, 14-1--and lasted longer.

“I thought we made strides,” Coach Pat Douglass said. “We played a BYU team that was 9-2 and kicking butt. I thought we showed ourselves well.

“There was a four-minute stretch that got away from us. That is crucial on the road.”

It began with 11 minutes left and the score tied, 46-46. Lyday hit a three-pointer, then sank two free throws. He hit another three-pointer, then grabbed a rebound and went basket-to-basket for a layup.

All Irvine got in that two-minute span was a three-pointer by Jerry Green.

“We need to execute more and stay composed when teams come up like that,” said Green, who had 16 points. “We need to stay composed and keep the crowd out of it.”

Irvine certainly wasn’t at its best, especially inside. Center Greg Ethington is nursing a sore right shoulder and center Mark Gottschalk quit the team Sunday.

Yet the Anteaters were a blur at the start. They made their first six shots, then watched as BYU whittled away at their 12-point lead.

The Cougars missed two shots and had three turnovers on their first six possessions, getting only Michael Vranes’ free throw in the first five minutes.

When Ondera sank a 10-foot jumper, Irvine led, 14-1.

“We were up 14-1 against BYU in their house,” Green said. “You knew that wasn’t going to last.”