Men’s basketball: UCI takes on Idaho

Amara Aguilar

BREN EVENTS CENTER - UC Irvine Coach Pat Douglass is well aware

that the visiting Idaho Vandals are capable of pulling a fast one in

tonight’s Big West Conference men’s basketball game against the Anteaters

that will be televised on Fox Sports Net 2 at 5:35.

“They really present a problem with their quickness,” Douglass said.

“We have to defend their quickness and do a good job going to the boards,

especially on offense.”

The Anteaters are eighth in the conference for offensive rebounds with

a 10.32 average per game. Idaho is fifth with an 11.85 average, but UCI

is first where it counts most. The Anteaters (16-6, 9-2 in the Big West)

sit at the top of the conference standings while Idaho (7-13, 4-7) is

tied with Long Beach State for seventh place.

Leading UCI offensively is the school’s all-time leading scorer,

senior guard Jerry Green. Last week Green scored 39 points in two wins to

pass Tod Murphy’s mark (1,778) for most career points at UCI. Green leads

the conference in scoring this season with a 20.7 points per game average

and has piled up 1,797 career points.

In addition to Green, sophomore center Adam Parada will look to

contribute on the starting lineup. Parada is second in scoring on the

squad, averaging 12.4 points per game and 6.4 rebounds per game. Junior

forward Jordan Harris (11.6 ppg, 7.0 rpg), sophomore forward Stanislav

Zuzak (9.7 ppg, 4.7 rpg) and junior guard Mike Hood (8.5 ppg) will also

start for the Anteaters.

The Vandals will counter with Moe Jenkins (10.6 ppg) and Justin Logan

(9.2 ppg). Logan is averaging 38 minutes of playing time per game.

“They are two outstanding players,” Douglass said. “Logan plays almost

the whole game. Idaho has a lot of players who are effective offensively.

We have to go for everyone.”

The Anteaters defeated the Vandals the last time the two teams faced

each other on Jan. 12. Hood scored a career-high 25 points to help UCI

come away with a 92-54 victory in Idaho.

“We played well when we played them last time,” Douglass said. “They

look to play some zone. We have to shoot the ball well outside. They are

a much improved team and very athletic.”

The Anteaters lead the conference in field goal percentage (.495) and

are fourth in the country in that category. The squad also is at the top

of the conference pack for three-point field goal percentage (.395) and

is ranked No. 21 in the nation.

Big West Standings

UC Irvine 9-2

Utah State 8-3

Cal State Northridge 7-3

Pacific 6-4

Cal Poly 6-5

UC Santa Barbara 6-5

Long Beach State 4-7

Idaho 4-7

UC Riverside 3-8

Cal State Fullerton 1-10

This week’s schedule

Thursday, Feb. 7

Idaho at UC Irvine, 5:35 p.m.

Utah State at Long Beach State, 7:35 p.m.

Cal State Northridge at Cal Poly, 7:05 p.m.

Pacific at UC Santa Barbara, 7 p.m.

Saturday, Feb. 9

Utah State at UC Irvine, 7:05 p.m.

Idaho at Long Beach State, 7:35 p.m.

UC Riverside at Cal State Fullerton, 7:05 p.m.

Pacific at Cal Poly, 7:05 p.m.

Cal St. Northridge at UC Santa Barbara, 7 p.m.