Pacific Ends Irvine’s Win Streak

Christian Maraker had 18 points and 10 rebounds, and two-time defending Big West Conference champion Pacific handed UC Irvine its first conference loss of the season, 64-52, on Thursday night at Stockton.

The second-place Tigers, 15-6 overall and 5-2 in the Big West, led the entire second half to move closer to Irvine (12-9, 8-1) in the Big West standings and end the Anteaters’ eight-game winning streak.

Anthony Esparza also had a double-double for Pacific with 12 points and 10 rebounds. Anthony Brown just missed with eight points and 10 rebounds.

Patrick Sanders scored 15 points and Adam Templeton scored 11 for the Anteaters, who beat Pacific, 70-61, on Jan. 15 in Irvine.

Each team had a six-point lead in a first half that featured seven ties and four lead changes. Irvine had its biggest lead at 22-16 eight minutes before the break, but Pacific responded with a 12-0 run on its way to a 33-28 halftime advantage.

Long Beach State 101, Cal State Northridge 80 -- Jibril Hodges scored a career-high 27 points and Kejuan Johnson had a career-high 20 as the 49ers won at Northridge.

The 49ers (10-9, 5-3) swept the regular-season series from the Matadors (8-10, 2-5) for the first time since Northridge joined the Big West in 2001.

It was the first time since March 1, 1991 -- a span of 172 games -- that Northridge surrendered 100 points at home.

Hodges, a senior, topped the 24 points he put up Saturday against UC Irvine, going nine for 14 from the field. He also sank a season-best six three-pointers.

Johnson, a junior, went five for eight from the field and Long Beach State shot 55% as a team.

Louis Darby added 14 points for the 49ers and Kevin Houston had 13.

Jonathan Heard led Northridge with 21 points and 10 rebounds, but the Matadors shot 45% from the field and committed 23 turnovers.

UC Santa Barbara 73, UC Davis 54 -- Alex Harris scored 15 points off the bench and Glenn Turner added 12 points and 10 rebounds at Santa Barbara as the Gauchos ended a three-game losing streak.

The Gauchos (7-11) shot 55.8%, which included seven-for-13 shooting from behind the three-point line.

UC Davis (6-15) made just one of 17 shots from behind the arc and finished at 37% overall.

Michael Chambers made his first four shots to send UC Santa Barbara out to a 25-11 lead. He finished with 11 points.