Anteaters experience shooting woes

Barry Faulkner

Even during the five-game winning streak that fed his team’s

burgeoning confidence, UC Irvine men’s basketball coach Pat Douglass

knew there would be games like this.

And, after host UC Santa Barbara outplayed the Anteaters in every

facet to claim a 62-45 Big West Conference victory Thursday night,

Douglass’ seven newcomers now know it to.

“Things didn’t quite go the way we wanted them to,” said Douglass,

whose team scored the fewest points since a 66-43 home loss to the

University of the Pacific Feb. 21, 1998, a span of 131 games.

UCI, which had averaged 78.5 points its first eight games, shot a

season-worst 32.6% from the field (15 of 46) and was just 3 of 17

from three-point distance (17.6%).

UCI (6-3, 1-1 in conference) had 13 turnovers to UCSB’s eight and

the Gauchos (4-5, 2-0) earned a 40-30 rebound advantage.

UCSB had 14 offensive boards, double UCI’s total, and continually

disrupted any offensive flow the Anteaters attempted to build.

Down, 34-19, at halftime, UCI upped its intensity and

aggressiveness in the second half.

But UCI never got closer than eight points, before 1,161 at the

Thunderdome.

UCI held the Gauchos without a field goal for more than six

minutes early in the second half, then for another 5:40 without a

basket.

But during the latter drought, UCI only managed to trim the

deficit from 12 to 11 points.

“We didn’t get after it in the first half, so we struggled to do

the things we’ve been doing,” Douglass said.

“It was a big game for [the Gauchos] and they shot the ball better

than they have been, especially in the first 12 to 14 minutes of the

first half.

“Our effort was there the second half, but every time we cut the

lead, we couldn’t seem to bear down and get the type of shot we

needed to get.

“They did a good job defensively, but we didn’t adjust to their

defensive scheme.”

Greg Ethington and Aaron Fitzgerald led the Anteaters with 12

points apiece, as junior guard Ross Schraeder, who had 18

three-pointers the previous three games, was held to eight points on

3-of-8 shooting from the field. Schraeder was 2 for 5 beyond the arc.

Ethington and Darren Fells had seven rebounds apiece for UCI,

combining to match the total produced by 6-foot-9 UCSB junior Cameron

Goettsche.

Chrismen Oliver led the winners with 12 points, including two of

their seven three-pointers.

“We held serve,” said UCSB Coach Bob Williams, referring to the

2-0 conference start at home.

UCSB held Long Beach State to 47 points in a seven-point win

Tuesday. The 49ers were just 1 of 18 from three-point range.