Defense wins it for ‘Eaters

IRVINE — It’s tough to win in the Big West Conference without some backbone in your backcourt.

Fortunately for the UC Irvine men’s basketball team, junior guard Chuma Awaji displayed a spine sturdy enough to help the Anteaters earn a 66-62 Big West Conference-opening victory Thursday over visiting Cal Poly San Luis Obispo.

Awaji was stripped of the ball in the backcourt by the Mustangs’ Trae Clark, then fouled Clark on the resulting layup for a three-point play that gave Cal Poly a 60-59 lead with 2:28 left.

But the 6-foot-3 point guard, whose turnovers have dipped during the Anteaters’ recent three-game win streak, scored the next four points, including a driving layin and two foul shots, to help the hosts win their seventh straight conference opener.

UCI (7-8, 1-0 in conference), which also improved to 5-0 at home this season, survived a stiff challenge from the Mustangs (6-7, 1-2), in a game that featured 11 lead changes and 12 ties.

“It was just a matter of confidence,” said Awaji, who followed the aforementioned turnover by passing the ball out of bounds on the Anteaters’ next possession for his third turnover of the game.

“I knew, once they got that steal, I was going to bounce back. They gave me a lane and I just took it [to convert a layup with 1:54 left]. And then I had a chance to make two free throws.

“It felt real good [to contribute at the end],” Awaji said. “Once they get the ball stolen like that, a lot of people’s confidence goes down. But for me, it was just a matter of being patient, taking care of the ball, and getting my team into the offense. And that’s what I did.”

UCI Coach Pat Douglass, whose team averaged 19.9 turnovers during a 3-6 start, then pared that to 12.6 in the five contests prior to Thursday, was impressed by Awaji’s poise.

“I think that shows some toughness on his part with the game on the line,” Douglass said of Awaji’s final two minutes. “He got ripped [by Clark], but he showed he could come back and respond to the challenge.”

Cal Poly’s physical, aggressive defense provided a challenge for UCI, which struggled to find any offensive flow. The Anteaters shot 38.7% from the field (22 of 49) and committed 18 turnovers, five more than the visitors.

But UCI, which came in leading Big West teams in scoring defense (65.7 per game), field-goal-percentage defense (39.8%) and blocked shots (4.1 per contest), unleashed some defensive intensity of its own.

The Anteaters limited the Mustangs to 22-of- 63 shooting from the field (28.6%). Only 10 three-pointers in 24 attempts helped the visitors remain in the game.

UCI was just four of 13 from three-point range, but senior Nic Campbell made half of his six attempts, including one with 2:59 left that put the ‘Eaters up, 59-54.

But Clark preceded his three-point play off a steal with a three-point field goal, giving Cal Poly a 60-59 edge just 22 seconds later.

Cal Poly, however, missed shots on its next three possessions, the final of those leading to two foul shots for Awaji, who came in leading the Anteaters from the line at 83.3%.

After Awaji converted both foul shots, Patrick Sanders’ defense helped force another Cal Poly misfire, this time an errant 10-footer by Tyler McGinn.

UCI’s Darren Fells rebounded and freshman Chad DeCasas made the first of two free throws with 15 seconds left to make it 64-60.

Sanders fouled while trying to rebound the second miss and Derek Stockalper drained two foul shots to halve the deficit with 14 ticks left.

But Sanders was fouled and made both free throws with 10 seconds left to finalize the scoring.

Mark Kelley led the winners with 13 points, while Fells added 12 points and a game-high 12 rebounds off the bench.

Fells credited the Anteaters’ winning streak to improved guard play, including that of freshman Michael Hunter.

Hunter, who had 30 points, 19 assists and one turnover the previous three games, had four points, four assists and five turnovers Thursday.

Big West ConferenceCal Poly -- Stockalper 15, McGinn 12, Shelton 8, Clark 11, Whjiten 8, Thomas 3, Higgins 2, Hanson 2, Vance 1.

UC Irvine 66,

Cal Poly San Luis Obispo 62

3-pt. goals -- McGinn 4, Clark 2, Whiten 2, Stockalper 2.

Fouled out -- Clark.

UC Irvine -- Sanders 8, Templeton 5, Kelley 13, DeCasas 8, Awaji 6, Fells 12, Campbell 9, Hunter 4, McIntosh 1.

3-pt. goals -- Campbell 3, Templeton 1.

Halftime -- 26-24, UCI.