Toros bullied by UC Irvine

Barry Faulkner

After merely sampling from up-tempo rhythms during two exhibition

victories, the UC Irvine men’s basketball team unleased the

extended-play version on visiting Cal State Dominguez Hills Friday

night.

The result was a 106-69 season-opening triumph that, perhaps,

sounded the dawn of new era in Douglass’ eight-season tenure.

It was, in fact, the first time in 11 seasons the Anteaters have

hit triple digits, a span of 298 games.

“It was time,” said UCI junior point guard Aaron Fitzgerald, a

transfer who may have ushered in the Runnin’ Anteaters with 20

points, nine assists and a full-court flair perhaps not seen since

Raimonds Miglinieks was directing the break in the mid-1990s.

“I thought Aaron did a good job of handling their pressure and

generating offense for us,” said UCI Coach Pat Douglass, whose team

produced the program’s second-biggest blowout in 40 openers.

Only a 95-55 win in 1970 topped Friday’s thumping, which quickly

got away from the Division II visitors when UCI opened the second

half with a 9-3 run. The early second-half burst rendered the final

15 minutes glorified garbage time.

Fitzgerald hit 8 of 11 field-goal attempts, including 2 of 3 from

three-point range to help UCI connect on 39 of its 67 shots from the

field (58.1%).

Fitzgerald also fed senior center Greg Ethington for most of his

11 foul-shot opportunities. Ethington drained 10 free throws and was

6 of 10 from the field to finish with a career-high 22 points. His

previous high was 17 points, last year against University of the

Pacific. He also led the hosts with eight rebounds Friday.

“With three [starting] guards, we’re going to have to [push the

pace],” said Douglass, who noted this UCI team will run more than any

of his previous seven.

“It’s a five-man break,” Douglass said. “It’s going to give Ross

[Schraeder, a sharpshooting junior wing] more opportunities to spot

up and shoot. Jeff [Gloger, a junior moved from the point to a wing

to accommodate Fitzgerald] can now bounce the ball from a wing and

our posts can run the floor.”

All of the above, and more, helped bring down the Toros, who could

never recover from early deficits of 6-0 and 11-3.

Schraeder was 3 of 5 from threedom on the way to 17 points in just

23 minutes. He also had three assists.

Sophomore Nic Campbell, who joined Ethington, Schraeder and Gloger

as the only Anteaters not making their UCI debut Friday, scored a

career-high nine points in 16 minutes off the bench.

Freshman starter Darren Fells scored eight points, while junior

Shamar Armstrong and freshman Patrick Sanders had seven apiece.

Sanders chipped in a game-high four steals.

Gloger finished with seven points for the winners.

Freshman Davis Baker scored six and frontline newcomers Adam

Metelski (two) and Andrew Bruckner (one) rounded out the scoring

parade that included the entire UCI roster.

“Once they started pressing, it opened up the court,” said

Fitzgerald, a former Seattle prep sensation who played last season at

Jacksonville Community College in Texas. He also has made stops at

Portland State and Washington State.

Fitzgerald, who totaled 10 points and 14 assists in two exhibition

wins, said he was determined to look for his own shot more Friday.

“I was being more aggressive,” he said. “Sometimes, I think I pass

too much.”

UCI’s defense also helped Dominguez Hills shoot just 31.3% from

the field (20 of 64).

ZOTS -- Friday’s win upped the Anteaters’ record in openers to

19-21. They are now 29-11 in home openers ... The 1,487 in attendance

took advantage of a rare chance to see UCI at home before the New

Year. The ‘Eaters play four of their next five games on the road,

including Monday at USC and Nov. 27 at UCLA. Dominguez Hills was

UCI’s only home game in November and the team plays just twice at

home in December (Dec. 4 against Sacramento State and Dec. 21 against

New Mexico State ... The 106 points were the most for UCI in an

opener since scoring 109 in an eight-point win over Nebraska in 1986

... Bill Vinovich, who moonlights as an NFL referee, headed up the

three-man officiating crew Friday.

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Nonconference

UC Irvine 106, Cal State Dominguez Hills 69

Cal State Dominguez Hills -- Norman 22, Gay 19, Harvey 9, Lankster 4, Harrell 3, Looney 2, Crookshank 6, May 3, Roche 1. 3-pt. goals -- Norman 3, Gay 2, May 1, Harvey 1. Fouled out -- None. Technicals -- None. UC Irvine -- Ethington 22, Fells 8,

Schraeder 17, Gloger 7, Fitzgerald 20, Campbell 9, Armstrong 7, Sanders 7, Baker 6, Meltelski 2, Bruckner 1. 3-pt. goals -- Schraeder 3, Fitzgerald 2, Baker 2, Gloger 1, Campbell 1, Armstrong 1. Fouled out -- None. Technicals -- None. Halftime -- UCI,

51-35.

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