UC Irvine Plays at Boise St. Tonight

After a nine-day break for exams, UC Irvine’s basketball team will return to action tonight, playing Boise State at Boise, Ida., in the first game of a two-game trip.

The Anteaters (3-1) will play Montana at Missoula, Mont., Thursday.

Boise State (4-1) is coached by Bobby Dye, the former Cal State Fullerton coach who led the Titans to the NCAA West Regional final in 1978.

Irvine’s Kevin Floyd, a 6-foot 5-inch forward, is now eligible. Floyd has completed redshirt requirements after transferring from Georgetown, where he averaged five points and three rebounds as a freshman on the 35-3 Hoya team that lost to Villanova in the NCAA final.

Boise State, which starts three players 6-3 or smaller, is off to its best start since joining Division I nearly a decade ago, and is beating its opponents by an average of 22.9 points a game. Boise State is led by 6-3 guard Chris Childs, the 1986 Big Sky Conference freshman of the year, and Arnell Jones, a 6-6 forward.