Parada Helps Irvine Forge Tie for First Place

Displeased with his inconsistent play this season, Adam Parada tried something different Thursday night.

Often using a fadeaway jumper over the shorter inside players for Cal State Northridge, Parada scored 18 points as UC Irvine pulled into a first-place tie in the Big West Conference with a 64-57 victory before 2,289 at the Bren Center.

The Anteaters (16-7, 10-4) won their fifth game in a row and sit with UC Santa Barbara and Utah State atop the conference standings with four regular-season games remaining.

Parada made seven of 15 shots and has scored in double figures the last three games.

The 7-foot center took advantage of his matchup against 6-foot-9 forwards Armand Thomas and Chris Davis. Scoring 12 of his points in the first half, Parada often faked his usual jump hook to the right and swung left to get free for jumpers along the baseline.

“Actually I pretty much lived on that [baseline] shot in high school,” Parada said. “Teams have been taking away my jump hook so I’ve been faking that shot and going back to my left.”

Stanislav Zuzak came up with a three-point play with 1:24 remaining that gave the Anteaters a 57-52 lead.

Irvine guard Ross Schraeder made consecutive three-pointers midway through the second half after Northridge pulled to within three points.

Point guard Jeff Gloger had 12 points and six assists for Irvine.

The Matadors (10-13, 4-9) are half a game ahead of Long Beach State for the final berth in the conference tournament.

-- Eric Stephens

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Utah State 62, Fullerton 41 -- Coming off an eight-day layoff, Fullerton (7-16, 5-8) missed its first 10 shots and made only six of its first 23 as Utah State (19-6, 10-4) built a 33-16 halftime lead on the strength of a 22-8 rebounding advantage.

The Aggies never let Fullerton get closer than 15 points in the second half and extended their lead to as many as 28 points.

Fullerton Coach Donny Daniels benched center Pape Sow for the second half after a one-for-five shooting performance.

Fullerton guard Ralphy Holmes scored 24 points.

Paul McLeod

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Cal Poly San Luis Obispo 66, UC Santa Barbara 63 -- Shane Schilling scored 20 points and came down with the rebound at the buzzer for Cal Poly (12-11, 8-6 Big West Conference) at San Luis Obispo.

Schilling broke a 63-63 tie with a baseline jumper at the 1:40 mark and Jason Allen made a free throw with 11.7 seconds left.

UC Santa Barbara (13-11, 10-4), which lost sole possession of first place, had a chance to send the game into overtime, but Mark Hull’s three-point shot just before the buzzer was long.

Allen had 15 points and Varnie Dennis had 10 points and six rebounds for Cal Poly.

Nick Jones led Santa Barbara with 18 points. Jacoby Atako and Brandiunn Fullove had 10 apiece.

Idaho 68, UC Riverside 64 -- Zach White and Justin Logan each made two free throws in the final 10 seconds for Idaho (11-12, 7-7 Big West) at Riverside.

Jake Wessel scored 13 points for Riverside (5-14, 4-9).