Boll Weevils hand UC Irvine setback

Anteaters can’t close the gap at Oneida Classic and lose their third in a row, fifth in the last six.GREEN BAY, Wisc. -- The UC Irvine men’s basketball team continued its December slump, losing to Division II Arkansas-Monticello, 81-64, at the Oneida Holiday Classic on Thursday.

It was the third loss in a row for the Anteaters, who have lost five of their last six games. Their last win came on Dec. 3 against San Jose State.

UCI (4-6) stayed close in the first half, shooting 50% from the field, and trailed at halftime, 36-32. In the second half, however, the Anteaters’ shooting slipped to 35.7% (10 of 28 from the field) as Arkansas-Monticello pulled away.

The Boll Weevils (5-4) took advantage of UCI’s foul trouble in the second half, making 20 of 24 from the free throw line.

The Anteaters got as close as five points after Ross Schraeder and Nic Campbell his three-pointers to make the score, 66-61. Arkansas-Monticello’s DeMarcus Wilson responded with a three-pointer that sparked a 15-3 game-ending run.

Schraeder scored 19 points, making six three-pointers, and had four steals. The senior has 195 career three-pointers, six away from Jeff Herdman’s school record of 201.

The rest of UCI’s backcourt didn’t fare so well. Shamar Armstrong missed all five of his shots, four of them from three-point range. Aaron Fitzgerald, who did not start after being late for a practice, missed his four shots.

Patrick Sanders, who replaced Fitzgerald in the starting lineup, finished with a career-best 10 points in 19 minutes, making a pair of three-pointers.

M’Jumbe Williams led Arkansas-Monticello with 23 points.

UCI plays Wisconsin-Green Bay today at 5:30 p.m.

Oneida Holiday Classic

Arkansas-Monticello 81,

UC Irvine 64

Score by Halves