Irvine Stops Efevberha, Northridge

UC Irvine students had waited nearly two years for the return of former Anteater guard Mike Efevberha, now with Cal State Northridge. And they showered him with all the taunts and vitriol that had festered since Efevberha had transferred.

Efevberha would have given anything to quiet the crowd. But he and the Matadors were instead shut down by Irvine, 76-62, in a Big West Conference game Friday at the Bren Center.

It was the third consecutive win for Irvine, which improved to 7-8 overall and 3-0 in the conference.

Ross Schraeder, with 17 points, was one of four Anteaters in double figures. But Coach Pat Douglass saved much of his praise for Aaron Fitzgerald, who had 16 points, nine assists, and had a major role in defending Efevberha.

“This was his best game on both ends of the floor,” Douglass said.

Fitzgerald said the team’s focus on defensive intensity has been the key to its resurgence after losing five in a row.

“[Before] we’ve been letting up defensively, especially the last 10 minutes of the game and letting teams go on a run,” Fitzgerald said.

Northridge (6-7, 1-2) lost senior guard Bakari Altheimer in the first half after he took a hard fall. He was diagnosed with a concussion and is day to day.

Efevberha -- who was suspended by Irvine during the 2003-04 season and later pleaded guilty to petty theft -- came to Irvine as the conference’s leading scorer (21.7). But he made only four of 15 shots Friday, and finished with 10 points.

“I wanted to get a win, I tried to play hard tonight, but my adrenaline was so high,” Efevberha said.

Irvine shot 51.1% from the field (23 of 45), was 21 of 23 at the free-throw line and outrebounded Northridge, 35-23.

-- Mike Terry

Pacific 78, Long Beach State 72 -- Christian Maraker and Johnny Gray each scored 20 points, and Maraker had 10 rebounds to lead the Tigers (11-5, 2-1) over the 49ers (6-8, 1-2) in a Big West game at Long Beach.

Gray scored 11 points down the stretch, including four free throws in the final 1:10. Maraker had his ninth double-double of the season, as the Tigers outrebounded the 49ers, 43-34.

Aaron Nixon scored 17 points and Kejuan Johnson had 15 for the 49ers.

Pacific has won four of five and has defeated the 49ers five consecutive times dating to February 2003.

From the Associated Press