Anteaters shock Stanford

UC Irvine earn surprising 79-63 road win to give Douglass 500 career victories.STANFORD -- A milestone for UC Irvine men’s basketball coach Pat Douglass became one of the biggest victories in Anteaters’ history Saturday.

UCI (2-1) upset No. 13-ranked Stanford, 79-63, in a nonconference game in front of 6,523 at Maples Pavilion.

The win was No. 500 in Douglass’ 25 seasons as a four-year college head coach. It also represented the highest-ranked opponent UCI has beaten since it knocked off No. 7-ranked UNLV in the 1988 Pacific Coast Athletic Assn. Tournament semifinals.

UCI guard Ross Schraeder scored 15 of his team-high 19 points in the first half, when he made all six of his field-goal attempts -- including three three-pointers.

Darren Fells scored a career-high 18 points and added nine rebounds, five assists and two blocked shots for the winners.

Shamar Armstrong scored eight points, but six of those -- on a three-pointer and a three-point play -- came in an 18-second span to help the Anteaters hold off the Cardinal’s final run.

After Stanford (0-1) had narrowed a 58-45 UCI lead to 61-56 with 3:54 left in the game, Armstrong connected from three-point range with 3:18 remaining. On UCI’s next possession, Armstrong sank a layup while being fouled and knocked down the free throw for a 66-56 edge with 2:57 remaining.

“To come up here and beat a fine ballclub will give us great confidence,” Douglass told reporters after the game.

The Anteaters were overwhelmed by Stanford, 72-59, in their last meeting Nov. 25, 2003, at the Bren Events Center. Stanford had won all five previous meetings with UCI.

“I am very pleased with the effort we gave and, obviously, we shot the ball well [30 for 51 from the field for 58.8%],” Douglass said. “Shamar’s three-pointer late in the game was big for us.

“As far as the 500th victory, I am sure I will be able to look back someday and realize how special this is. I am just happy we were able to put forth a fine effort and come away with the win.”

Douglass, in his ninth season at Irvine after 10 seasons at Cal State Bakersfield and six at Eastern Montana, is now 500-226 as a head coach.

Aaron Fitzgerald chipped in nine points and seven assists and Mark Kelley had 10 points for the winners. Schraeder finished 7 of 9 from the field. Kelley made 5 of 7 field-goal tries and Fells was 6 of 9.

Stanford was led by Dan Grunfeld and Chris Hernandez, who scored 29 and 13, respectively.

The Anteaters play their home opener Tuesday at 7 p.m. against Santa Clara.

Nonconference

UC Irvine 79, Stanford 63

UC Irvine -- Fells 18, Campbell 8, Schraeder 19, Fitzgerald 9, Armstrong 8, Kelley 10, Metelski 4, Templeton 3.

3-pt. goals -- Schraeder 4, Campbell 1, Armstrong 1, Fitzgerald 1, Templeton 1.

Fouled out -- None.

Technicals -- None.

Stanford -- Grunfeld 29, Washington 9, Prowitt 2, Hernandez 13, Morris 2, Finger 4, Haas 4.

3-pt. goals -- Hernandez 3, Grunfeld 2.

Fouled out -- None.

Technicals -- None.

Halftime -- UCI, 43-35.

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