SOUTHLAND ROUNDUP

UC Irvine, picked to finish no better than fourth in Big West Conference preseason polls, established yet another school record Thursday night, this time for the best start in its 36-year history with a 69-60 victory over Pacific at the Bren Center.

The previous best start for Irvine, 19-3 overall, was in 1981-82, when the Anteaters won 18 of their first 21 games but stumbled to finish 23-7.

The victory also kept kept Irvine tied for first place in the Big West Conference at 11-1 with Utah State, a 71-48 winner at UC Santa Barbara.

Senior forwards Ben Jones and Sean Jackson led Irvine, which never trailed, with 16 points each. Jones made five of seven three-point shots, while Jackson was three for four from behind the arc.

Irvine guard Jerry Green, the leading scorer in the Big West, was double and triple-teamed and turned the ball over a season-high seven times. He also took only seven shots, making two, and finished with 12 points--nearly six below his season average.

Pacific (13-9, 5-6) made only five of 25 shots to fall behind 32-20 in the first half.

Guard Maurice McLemore, who had 33 points in Irvine’s 86-80 victory in Stockton on Jan. 4, made only four of 16 shots in scoring 15 this time.

It was Irvine’s fourth consecutive victory over Pacific, evening the series record between the schools at 26-26.