Men’s Basketball: ‘Eaters hammer Hawaii
The University of Hawaii men’s basketball team has players from four United States area codes and five countries. But the Rainbow Warriors can no longer consider a road trip to UC Irvine a return to their comfort zone.
UCI, which lost both games to Hawaii last season when the two teams shared the Big West Conference regular-season championship, and had been beaten at home by the Islands inhabitants two of their previous three meetings, earned an 84-56 conference win on Saturday at the Bren Events Center.
Hawaii (6-9, 0-2 in conference), which came in leading the Big West in scoring defense (64.7 per game), was dealt a defensive lesson by the Anteaters in the opening half. UCI, active and aggressive on defense, held the visitors to 25.8% shooting from the field (eight for 31). Hawaii was just two for 18 from three-point range in the opening 20 minutes.
Hawaii finished 21 for 58 from the field (36.2%) and was a mere three for 24 from threedom (12.5%).
UCI (9-9, 2-0), bouncing back from a 9-2 deficit to take a 39-20 lead at intermission, made half of its 24 field-goal tries before halftime to help extend its winning streak to a season-best four games.
The ‘Eaters finished 32 for 56 from the field (57.1%) after netting 20 of 32 after halftime.
UCI, aiming for its third regular-season conference crown in four years, is atop the conference standings along with UC Davis and Cal State Northridge.
Ten Anteaters scored in the first half, in which no UCI player had more than two field goals.
UCI extended the lead to 29 in the second half, before coasting home to its sixth win in seven home games.
The Anteaters matched their defensive intensity with a versatile and efficient offensive attack. They took advantage of their size advantage inside, moved the ball crisply to create open shots, drilled jumpers from the perimeter, and even seized occasional transition opportunities.
Seniors Ioannis Dimakopoulos and Jaron Martin led the winners with 12 points apiece, while freshman John Edgar Jr. and Tommy Rutherford added 10 and nine points off the bench.
Martin made five of eight field-goal tries, including both his three-point attempts, while Edgar was four for six from the field and two for three from beyond the arc.
Sophomore Brandon Smith had nine points and a team-best seven rebounds in 16 minutes, while senior Luke Nelson had nine points and a game-high three steals.
UCI visits UC Santa Barbara on Thursday at 7 p.m.
Big West Conference
UC Irvine 84, Hawaii 56
UH – Johnson 11, Purchase 2, Drammeh 10, Green 9, Stepteau 3, Owies 13, Raimo 4, Flaisher 4.
3-pt. goals – Owies 2, Johnson 1.
Fouled out – None.
Technicals – None.
UCI – Galloway 3, Smith 9, Dimakopoulos 12, Martin 12, Nelson 9, Edgar Jr. 10, Rutherford 9, Hazzard 4, Leonard 4, Worku 4, Greene 4, Rivers 3, Traylor 1.
3-pt. goals – Martin 2, Edgar Jr. 2, , Nelson 1, Smith 1, Rivers 1.
Fouled out – None.
Technicals – None.
Halftime – 39-20, UCI.
