Hot shots, Anteaters

We’re confident enough in the UC Irvine men’s basketball team -- which played at Pepperdine on Saturday night well after we’re sitting down to express our confidence -- that we’re going to risk a jinx of the team to applaud its incredible start, notably the upset victory over then-No. 13 Stanford a week ago.

That victory, over its highest ranked opponent since the Anteaters beat No. 7 UNLV way back in 1988, also was coach Pat Douglass’ 500th career victory, one that couldn’t have been much sweeter.

It was quite a drubbing, too, with UCI knocking Stanford into place by a final score of 79-63.

We hope it’s a victory that can give the Anteaters the confidence to do big things this season. If the team can continue its hot shooting -- or even just stay close to keeping this hot hand -- it may be a season to remember.

Already it’s one worth getting out to the Bren Events Center to see.

We won’t risk any more of a jinx than that.