Matador plans are foiled by Anteaters

UC Irvine prevented Cal State Northridge from clinching a tie for the Big West Conference title by defeating the Matadors, 82-66, Saturday night at the Bren Center.

The Anteaters, 14-14 overall, 8-6 Big West, who lost at Northridge, 69-64, on Jan. 31, have won five of six and moved into fourth place in the conference standings.

Michael Hunter had 18 points and Patrick Sanders scored eight of his 16 points in the second half as the Anteaters held off a second-half Northridge rally.

The Matadors went on a 13-2 run to pull to within three points with 4:46 left. Hunter converted a four-point play and Sanders made two jumpers during an 8-0 run to extend the lead.

The Matadors (19-8, 11-3) who beat Cal State Fullerton on Thursday night, had their lead over the Titans trimmed to half a game. They lead UC Santa Barbara by one game.

Cal State Fullerton 85, Long Beach State 51 -- Scott Cutley had season highs of 25 points and 13 rebounds to lead the host Titans (19-8, 11-4 Big West) past the 49ers (6-22, 3-11). Josh Akognon had 19 points -- 18 in the second half -- for the Titans, who have won nine of 11.

Donovan Morris, the conference’s leading scorer, also had 25 points for the 49ers, who are one defeat from tying the school record for most losses in one season.

UC Santa Barbara 73, UC Riverside 55 -- James Powell made a career-high seven three-point baskets in just eight attempts and scored 24 points to lead the Gauchos (21-7, 10-4 Big West) past the Highlanders (7-19, 3-11) at Santa Barbara.

Riverside got to within 28-26 when Larry Cunningham made a three-pointer and added a layup off a steal. He led the Highlanders with 19 points.

San Diego 77, Pepperdine 73 -- The Toreros (17-13, 10-3 West Coast Conference) beat the Waves (10-19, 4-9) for the seventh time in a row. Trumaine Johnson scored 22 points and Brandon Johnson had 21 to lead the way at San Diego.

The Toreros trailed, 38-37, at halftime. It was only the fourth time in 17 games this season that they came back to win after they trailed at the half. Freshman Tyrone Shelley led Pepperdine with 21 points.

San Francisco 88, Loyola Marymount 79 -- Vince Polakovic scored a career-high 23 points for the host Dons (8-20, 4-9 West Coast Conference), who have won only twice in their last seven games.

Dior Lowhorn, the conference’s leading scorer, also had 23 points to help hand the Lions (5-24, 2-11) their sixth loss in a row.

It was win No. 802 for Coach Eddie Sutton whose record with San Francisco is 4-12 since he replaced Jessie Evans on Dec. 26.

WOMEN

Arizona State 65, USC 57 -- The Trojans (17-12, 10-8 Pacific 10), playing without Nadia Parker, their leading scorer and rebounder, led in the second half but were unable to hold off the Sun Devils (20-9, 14-4) at the Galen Center in their regular-season finale.

Parker, a 6-foot-3 junior center, suffered a torn ligament in her left knee during Thursday night’s 64-62 loss to Arizona.

Parker probably will not play in the conference tournament this week at San Jose. She averaged 12.1 points, 6.5 rebounds and blocked 40 shots.

USC came back from a seven-point halftime deficit to take a 37-33 lead with 13:51 left to play, but Arizona State answered with a decisive 18-2 run.

Trailing by 14 with less than three minutes left, the Trojans got to within 58-52, Camille LeNoir scoring eight consecutive points.

Allison Jaskowiak’s three-pointer got them to within to 63-57 with 18 seconds left.

--Martin Henderson

UCLA 80, Arizona 70 -- Lindsey Pluimer, the lone senior on the team, scored 18 points and grabbed 11 rebounds to lead the Bruins (15-14, 9-8 Pac-10) over the Wildcats (10-19, 4-19) in the final regular-season game at Pauley Pavilion.