Men’s basketball: UCI takes on Pacific

* TV: Cox3 Sports (tape-delay)

* Radio: KUCI 88.9 FM

* Listen on the web: www.mbball.uci.edu

UC Irvine men’s basketball Coach Pat Douglass is not by any means

underestimating the Anteaters’ next opponent.

After all, University of the Pacific stunned the Anteaters last year

in the semifinals of the Big West Conference Tournament by defeating UCI,

74-58, March 9.

Thursday night, the two teams will face off in a conference matchup at

the Bren Events Center. Tip-off is at 7:05 p.m.

“Pacific knocked us out of the conference tournament last year and

they have everyone back,” Douglass said.

Leading the Tigers (11-4, 3-2 in the Big West) are junior guard

Demetrius Jackson (13.1 points per game), senior forward Mike Hahn (9.5

ppg) and senior center Mike Preston (9.1 ppg).

“It’s our big perimeter against their small perimeter,” Douglass said.

Entering this week, the Anteaters (12-4, 5-0) were ranked No. 1 in

field goal percentage (.508) in the NCAA and No. 5 in three-point field

goal percentage (.425).

Senior guard Jerry Green leads the squad in scoring with 22.6 points

per game and is No. 9 in the nation in scoring.

Green, last year’s Big West Player of the Year, is inching closer to

breaking UCI’s school record for career points. He is 75 points behind

leader Tod Murphy, who has 1,778.

Backing Green up are sophomore center Adam Parada (11.8 ppg, 6.2

rebounds per game), junior forward Jordan Harris (11.1 ppg, 6.6 rpg) and

sophomore forward Stanislav Zuzak (9.4 ppg, 4.9 rpg).

Junior guard Mike Hood is UCI’s fifth starter. He scored a career-high

25 points in UCI’s last victory, a 92-54 triumph over host University of

Idaho Saturday.

Before facing Idaho, UCI picked up a narrow victory over host Utah

State, 67-66.

“We emphasized the next game (Idaho),” Douglass said. “We wanted to

stay focused and make it a successful road trip.”

The Anteaters have won seven straight and are the only undefeated team

in Big West Conference play. Against Pacific, they will look to extend

their school-record 18-game win streak at home.

Big West Conference standings

UC Irvine 5-0

Utah State 4-2

UC Santa Barbara 4-2

Pacific 3-2

UC Riverside 3-2

Cal State Northridge 3-2

Cal Poly 3-3

Long Beach State 1-4

Idaho 1-5 Cal State Fullerton 0-5

This week’s schedule

Thursday, January 17Pacific at UC Irvine, 7:05 p.m.

Cal St. Northridge at Long Beach State, 7:35 p.m.Utah State at UC

Riverside, 7:10 p.m.

Idaho at Cal State Fullerton, 7:05 p.m.

Saturday, January 19

Cal State Northridge at UC Irvine, 7:05 p.m.

Pacific at Long Beach State, 7:05 p.m.

Utah State at Cal State Fullerton, 7:05 p.m.

Idaho at UC Riverside, 7:10 p.m.

UC Santa Barbara at Cal Poly, 7:05 p.m.