Buzzer-beater does in UC Irvine men

ANAHEIM -- Unlike football, a basketball team’s offense can’t technically keep its defense off the floor.

The UC Irvine men’s team did the next best thing Friday night against Long Beach State in the semifinals of the Big West Conference Tournament at the Anaheim Convention Center.

For much of the game, Coach Pat Douglass’ plan worked. But Long Beach State got a buzzer-beating three-pointer by Aaron Nixon from the left corner to escape with a 75-73 win to extend its winning streak to seven.

Nixon’s off-balance game-winner answered the eight-foot baseline runner by Shamar Armstrong with 16 seconds left that put the Anteaters ahead, 73-72.

Nixon’s bomb ? the 49ers’ 17th three-pointer of the game in 34 attempts ? propelled Long Beach State (18-11) into tonight’s title game against Pacific, which defeated Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, 68-57, in the other semifinal.

The 17 three-pointers were a school and tournament record.

“The shot was just how I drew it up,” Larry Reynolds quipped. “Aaron just made a tremendous shot and, fortunately for us, it went in.”

Nixon, who led the winners with 28 points, stumbled over UCI’s Darren Fells, who had fallen to the floor trying to defend him. Nixon batted a high dribble to retain possession and drifted to the corner.

“I just heard people saying shoot it, so I shot it,” Nixon said. “It went in.”

There was briefly some question as to whether it counted.

“Was it going to count?” Reynolds said of his first reaction. “The officials said they had to look at it [on the television replay]. When I heard the horn, I had a pretty good idea the ball was already in the air, so I felt it was good.”

Long Beach State came in leading the nation in scoring at 84 points per game (93.5 in a six-game winning streak coming in).

The Anteaters (16-13), who surrendered 93 points in a 20-point loss to the 49ers on March 4, ran off the shot clock on most of their possessions in an attempt to slow down the tempo.

The Anteaters utilized a zone defense in the first half, which the 49ers were content to attack from the perimeter.

The 49ers, who burned UCI’s man-to-man for numerous easy baskets in their last meeting, made their first four shots ? all three-pointers ? and finished 10 of 17 from three-point range in the first 20 minutes.

UCI, which entered the week second in the nation in three-point shooting percentage (42.3% trailing only Southern Utah’s 42.9%), made 6 of 12 three-pointers before halftime. UCI finished 7 of 21 from three-point range.

The Anteaters built a 24-2 advantage on points in the paint in the first 20 minutes.

UCI also outrebounded the more athletic 49ers, 14-18, including three putback baskets.

The ‘Eaters came out of their zone early in the second half, but Long Beach State continued to find success from beyond the arc, anyway.

Three-pointers by senior guard Jibril Hodges and backcourt mate Nixon, a junior, helped give Long Beach a 68-62 lead with 6:38 remaining.

But thanks to an unexpected scoring surge by Mark Kelley ? nine straight points ? the Anteaters remained in the hunt.

When Ross Schraeder made a follow shot with 2:23 left, the Anteaters were within 72-71.

Schraeder led UCI with 17 points, while Darren Fells had 13 points and a team-high seven rebounds. Aaron Fitzgerald finished with 10 assists to go with his three points and Kelley had 11 points.

“I was proud to be a part of the game,” Douglass said. “This time of year, when you don’t move on, it’s disappointing.

“But that’s part of basketball, when a player makes an incredible shot,” Douglass added. “But it’s sometimes hard to endure.”

The loss marked the final game for UCI seniors Armstrong, Fitzgerald, Schraeder, Jeff Gloger, Brandon Sievers and Adam Metelski.