UCI lets Aggies off the hook

Anteaters lead much of the way, but end up with their fifth consecutive loss when UC Davis closes out the contest with a 12-4 run.IRVINE -- The UC Irvine men’s basketball team played about 35 minutes of solid basketball. But UC Davis turned things up a notch down the stretch and UC Irvine failed to respond.

The Anteaters dropped their fifth in a row and seventh out of their last eight with a 66-63 loss in a rare Wednesday afternoon nonconference game at the Bren Events Center.

UCI (4-8) hadn’t trailed since the second minute of the game when the Aggies (4-9) stormed back late in the second half. Junior point guard Rommel Marentez (14 points) sparked UC Davis with a reverse layup and a 7-foot jump shot in transition to pull the Aggies to within 59-58 with 4:15 left.

UC Davis, which will join the Big West Conference in 2007-08, took its first lead since the opening minutes when Thomas Juillerat hit two free throws to give the Aggies a 60-59 lead with 2:15 left. After a miss by Nic Campbell, the Aggies found Vince Oliver (15 points) behind the Anteaters’ defense for a fast-break layup and a 62-59 lead.

“When we don’t shoot the ball well, our defensive intensity goes down,” UC Irvine Coach Pat Douglass said.

The Aggies sank 4-of-6 free throws in the last minute, which was enough to hold off the Anteaters.

In the last 30 seconds, Darren Fells’ off-balance baseline jumper banked off the rim, the Aggies came down with the ball and dribbled out the clock.

UC Irvine outrebounded the Aggies, 31-25, but Douglass was not happy with his team’s level of toughness.

“I thought we came out with a good purpose, then when the game got physical, we backed down,” Douglass said. “We didn’t seem to want to fight back. Basically, we just got soft.”

If there was one bright spot for UCI, it was 6-foot-10 center Adam Metelski. The senior from Poland came off the bench to tally a career-high 17 points and seven rebounds (tying a career high). Metelski was UC Irvine’s lone consistent inside threat in the first half, when he scored 11 of his points. UC Davis played closer attention to him in the second half -- often double-teaming him in the low post.

“He’s one of the few players who played with intensity,” Douglass said. “Otherwise, it was a bad day.”

UC Davis opened the second half by knocking down four three-pointers, including two by Oliver. The Anteaters hit just 1-of-8 three-pointers in the second half, when they shot 29.6% from the field.

UC Irvine carries a five-game losing streak into Big West Conference action. The Anteaters open conference play on the road at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo Saturday and at UC Santa Barbara on Monday. UC Irvine is on the road for seven of its first 10 conference games.

“We’ve got to get more enthusiastic and play with more effort if we want to compete in conference,” Douglass said.

Nonconference

UC Davis 66,

UC Irvine 63

Score by Quarters