Sad Ending for Irvine Again

UC Irvine and Utah State have battled for the Big West regular-season championship the last two years. The conference tournament, however, became another sad story for the Anteaters.

Sophomore point guard Jacoby Atako made two free throws with 6.3 seconds remaining and foiled the Anteaters’ last attempt, helping UC Santa Barbara pull off a 66-61 victory in the semifinals Friday night at the Anaheim Convention Center.

It was another shocking ending to a stellar season for Irvine (21-10). The Anteaters, who have won or shared the Big West regular-season title the last two years, have been knocked out before reaching the tournament final in that same time.

Atako coolly sank his foul shots and then delivered the game’s biggest play. With Irvine trailing, 64-61, and desperately trying to get the ball to its star guard, Jerry Green, Atako knocked the ball away from him and got it to Nick Jones. Jones finished off Irvine with a layup at the buzzer to touch off a Santa Barbara celebration.

The win was the first against Irvine for Santa Barbara after losing both regular-season meetings.

Adama Ndiaye made two free throws with 1:03 remaining to give the Gauchos (19-10) the lead. Irvine called timeout to set up a play.

But it failed to come through in the closing moments. On its possession, the ball swung around to forward Matt Okoro. Okoro, in the game for his defense and rebounding, lost control of the ball and stepped on the baseline.

Ndiaye made one of two free throws to pad the lead to three. With 23.1 seconds left, Irvine opted to go for the quick two points and Green, who had 17 points, delivered with a jumper.

Santa Barbara got the ball to Mark Hull on the inbounds pass and the forward ate up some seconds before dishing it off to Atako. Atako, who averages only 5.5 points, then stuck another dagger into the Anteaters.

Last year, Irvine came into the Big West semifinals with a school-record 25 victories and had its eyes on an NCAA berth when it went cold in a stunning 74-58 loss to Pacific.

Green has had his way with the Gauchos. He had 22 points and a career-high 11 assists in an 81-70 victory at Santa Barbara and came back with 29 in his final home game to lead the Anteaters to a 71-67 victory.

“He is a great player,” Santa Barbara Coach Bob Williams said prior to the game. “He’s the MVP of the league.”

Santa Barbara was the Big West’s top defensive team during the regular season and it was among the nation’s best in holding opponents to 37% shooting. But Irvine continued to give the Gauchos matchup problems.