UC Irvine Shocks Bruins : Anteaters Win on Floyd’s Drive at Buzzer, 91-90

UC Irvine, a basketball team that had aspirations of leading the nation in scoring this season, canned its full-court pressure defense, junked its wide-open run-and-shoot offense and walked away with its biggest victory of the season Wednesday night.

The Anteaters’ 91-90 win over UCLA before a sellout crowd of 5,000 at the Bren Center ended in a whirlwind of action.

When the Bruins’ Pooh Richardson swished in a 3-pointer with 5 seconds remaining, it appeared that Irvine’s most-inspired performance of the season would be nothing more than another “almost� in a season full of disappointment.

But after an Irvine timeout, senior Kevin Floyd, who shall be known from now on as Kevin (Coast-to-Coast) Floyd, drove the length of the floor and flicked in a looping layup over the outstretched arms of Keith Owens as the horn sounded.

And bedlam broke out in the Bren.

“This win rates right up there with the NIT win over UCLA (at Pauley Pavilion in 1986) and the win at (Las) Vegas,� Irvine Coach Bill Mulligan said. “We needed this win so bad. And the guys worked so hard. I know it’s a cliche, but . . . “

Mulligan’s voice cracked, tears welled in his eyes, and it was hard to believe that this was just a nonconference game that improved the Anteaters’ record to 3-7. UCLA is 6-2.

Floyd, who made 10 of 16 shots--about half of which were flying layups--led Irvine with 26 points. He played all night “like a man possessed,� according to Mulligan. He was also continually on the verge of being out of control.

The final shot was no different. He staggered around a couple of Bruins before sliding past Owens to score.

“During the timeout, coach told me 5 seconds was an eternity, that I could sprint the length of the court and back in 5 seconds,� Floyd said. “They were kinda just standing there, I don’t think they wanted to foul me.

“I was counting in my head and I was at one-thousand-three when I let go of the ball. I just prayed it would go in before the buzzer.�

It was a game of multiple turning points, but UCLA Coach Jim Harrick thought the biggest was a foul called on Darrick Martin when Mike Labat fell down while driving through the key with 12 seconds left.

“That was the key call,� Harrick said. “That was a joke. Then we still had it won and Floyd makes the great play. We should’ve never been in that position, but Irvine shot the lights out tonight.�

Indeed, the Anteaters’ 55% field-goal shooting and 73% (8 of 11) 3-point success were the highest totals by a Bruin opponent this season.

As for other turning points, if Irvine had lost, there would have been a lot of talk about an apparent goaltending violation that went undetected when Richardson blocked a Rod Palmer layup after it had banked off the glass and was falling toward the basket.

As it was, the Irvine players were in no mood to complain about anything. And this was a team win. The Anteaters wouldn’t be able to beat UCLA unless they were running--or even walking--on all cylinders.

Senior forward Mike Doktorczyk played the game of his life, making 7 of 9 field goals--including 3 of 3 from 3-point range--for 18 points. He also had 8 rebounds. Palmer added 16 points, and Jeff Herdman, who made 6 of 8 shots, including 3 of 3 3-pointers, contributed 15 points.

The Bruins were paced by Trevor Wilson, who did just about whatever he pleased all evening while scoring 30 points and grabbing 11 rebounds. Don MacLean, who fouled out with 59 seconds left, had 19 points and 12 rebounds. Richardson scored 18 points.

“Five seconds is like an eternity when your ahead by one and the other team has the ball,� Wilson said. “I wanted to deny him (Floyd) the ball, but coach said to take off the press and sag. Then he just made the great play.�

The Bruins, who turned the ball over 11 times in the first half and finished one short of their season high in turnovers with 16, didn’t look very sharp after jumping out to a 12-3 lead. Irvine caught them at 12-12 and rolled up a 50-39 halftime advantage.

UCLA had the lead just twice in the second half. The Bruins went up, 85-84, with 1:31 left on the third consecutive basket by Wilson. And they led, 90-89, on Richardson’s 3-pointer.

The Anteaters were more than just good. They were rolling in good fortune, too. For instance:

--With 6:13 left in the first half, Floyd drove to the basket and drew a crowd. His partially blocked shot--(he’d say it was a pass)--came down in the hands of Ricky Butler, who dropped in a layup.

--On Irvine’s next possession, Wilson blocked a Labat layup that didn’t have a chance, but Wilson was called for goaltending.

--Seconds later, Wilson was called for offensive basket interference when he grabbed the hoop just as a MacLean follow shot settled into the net.

--With 41 seconds left before the intermission, Irvine got the ball out of bounds. Mulligan held up one finger and shouted, “One shot, one shot.� Floyd took the inbound pass, held up one finger to his teammates than proceeded to reverse-pivot, dribble through the key and swish in a 17-foot fall-away baseline jumper with 22 seconds left.

And so it went . . . down to the wire.

“Aw man, I can’t describe the feeling,� said Palmer, who sat on the bench behind Richardson for 2 years at UCLA before transferring to Irvine. “I’ve waited so long for this, but you can mark it down in history: Dec. 28, 1988, the day I got my revenge.�

For the rest of the Anteaters, it meant a measure of respectability. And a chance to sing--OK, scream--in the shower, for a change.