Irvine Closes on Big West Berth

There were two ways to look at Wednesday night’s game.

The glass is half full: UC Irvine’s 88-71 victory over Cal State Fullerton stopped a seven-game losing streak against the Titans and all but assured the Anteaters of a spot in the Big West Conference tournament.

The glass is half empty: This was the Titans’ 10th consecutive loss--the third longest streak in school history--and locked up last place in the Western Division.

The glass is cracked and leaking severely: With the ink already dry on Titan Coach Bob Hawking’s resignation and an announced crowd of 812 in Titan Gym, at least one Fullerton player was ready to lash out at the school for lack of support, financially and otherwise.

“This school doesn’t have anything to offer high-quality players,” said forward Ike Harmon, who scored 28 points. “I’ve averaged more points this year than we have fans. If they are not on the comp list, they don’t come [to the games].

“I try to pump up the school to other players, but the school doesn’t pump itself up,” Harmon said. “I don’t want to go out like this.”

There will little choice, unless Harmon--a Prop 48 player--graduates this year and applies to the NCAA to reclaim his first year of eligibility.

Harmon’s feelings were shared by others.

“I don’t want to go out a loser,” guard Kenroy Jarrett said. “I want to win, or die trying.”

Schedule the autopsy for late Saturday, after the Titans play New Mexico State.

“To tell you the truth, that situation is hard to describe,” Irvine guard Malachi Edmond said. “You just don’t know how tough it is mentally unless you’ve been through it.”

Edmond has because the Anteaters lost 14 consecutive games at one point last season. Those days may be over.

A little more than a month ago, Irvine was embarrassed at home by the Titans, 76-64.

The Anteaters (13-13, 6-9) returned the favor. There were a few upsides for the Titans. They held a lead for the first time in three games, 7-4, two minutes into the game.

The Titans were missing center Josh Fischer, who was out with a broken bone in his left hand. He had career highs with 19 points and 11 rebounds the last time he faced the Anteaters. Fullerton’s depth is such that Hawking was bemoaning the fact that walk-on Ahmad Shurdim was out with pneumonia.

“Playing a team like this, it can go either way,” Irvine forward Marek Ondera said.

Irvine led, 50-37, early in the second half when the Titans (8-18, 3-12) went on a 10-1 run--which included two tip-in baskets by Jon Stoa--to make it 51-47 with 12 minutes left.

Not a good sign for Irvine, which blew a 17-point lead in a loss to Boise State and nearly squandered 19-point leads against Idaho and UC Santa Barbara.

“When [other teams] would get into us, we’d break down,” Coach Pat Douglass said. “We stayed with our stuff last four minutes tonight and got easy buckets.”

Malachi Edmond (19 points) and Jerry Green (19 points) carved up the Titan defense in the last 10 minutes.

Green had seven rebounds and five assists. Forward Ben Jones had 15 points and six assists.

“With each week, we have gotten better,” Douglass said.

No one showed that more than freshman forward Matt Okoro, who had 12 points and 11 rebounds.

Okoro blocked a Harmon shot at the rim in the first half and had three dunks, the last a reverse slam with five seconds left.