Irvine Tries to Keep Streak Alive Today : Going for Fifth Straight Win, Anteaters Travel to Santa Barbara

After beating cross-county rival Cal State Fullerton for the first time in seven meetings--and at Fullerton, yet--what worlds can possibly be left for UC Irvine’s basketball team to conquer?

Well, there’s always UC Santa Barbara. And, letdown or no, Irvine will take its four-game winning streak there today for a Pacific Coast Athletic Assn. game against the Gauchos at 1 p.m.

The Anteaters, 9-6 overall and 4-2 in the PCAA, upset Fullerton Thursday night, 76-70, without starting point guard Joe Buchanan. Buchanan, suffering with abdominal pains, will remain at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Orange over the weekend for tests.

Mike Hess, a 6-1 junior, proved an effective replacement for Buchanan against Fullerton, playing 37 1/2 minutes, getting 13 points and 6 assists. Sophomore forward Kevin Floyd had a career-high 24 points.

Santa Barbara (6-6, 1-2) lost to Nevada Las Vegas Thursday, 88-74, but was tied at 62 with the nation’s top-ranked team with eight minutes remaining.

The Gauchos use a three-forward offense, with two averaging in double figures. Khris Fortson is averaging 14.9 points and 6.8 rebounds and Brian Vaughans is averaging 13.2 points and 9.3 rebounds. Santa Barbara also has one of the conference’s better guards in Brian Shaw, who is averaging 11.6 points, 7.3 rebounds and 6.9 assists.