Thrice is nice for UCI

Threes are a charm for Anteaters, who solidify their position atop Big West Conference by topping Matadors, 76-62.IRVINE -- Good things happen in threes for the UC Irvine men’s basketball team. Seldom was that more clear than Friday night against Cal State Northridge.

The Anteaters (7-8), who strengthened their hold on first place by improving to 3-0 in the Big West Conference, made 7 of 11 three-pointers in the second half of a 76-62 victory.

In addition, senior point guard Aaron Fitzgerald, who wears jersey No. 3, played what Coach Pat Douglass called the best game of his career on both ends of the floor.

Fitzgerald, who finished with a mere three turnovers, including none after halftime -- and had three times as many assists -- was also among three defenders the hosts ran at Mike Efevberha, the conference’s leading scorer.

Efevberha, who transferred to Northridge after being dismissed from the UCI team due to a conviction for petty theft during the 2003-04 season, finished 4 of 15 from the field (26.7%). The 6-foot-5 junior guard, who was booed during the pregame introductions was the target of repeated verbal barbs from the UCI student section, scored 10 points -- well below his 21.7 average.

Efevberha, who did not shoot a free throw, was 1 for 6 from the field in the opening half. He hit his first three second-half shots, including a pair of three-pointers, then missed his final seven field-goal attempts.

Douglass credited Fitzgerald, the primary defender against Efevberha, for helping limit his production.

Fitzgerald, never known as a shutdown defender, smiled at that notion.

“I had a lot of help from my teammates,” said Fitzgerald, who scored 14 of his 16 points in the second half.

Fitzgerald also grinned at the suggestion that the ‘Eaters’ defensive pressure had frustrated Efevberha.

“It’s hard not get frustrated with three guys guarding you,” Fitzgerald said.

Senior guard Ross Schraeder, who added two more three-pointers to his school career record (now 205), finished with a team-high 17 points. He was 9 of 10 from the foul line, where the winners were 21 of 23.

Sophomore forward Patrick Sanders added 14 points on 4-of-5 shooting.

UCI junior guard Nic Campbell contributed 13 points and a team-high nine rebounds. He also led the team with three three-pointers in five attempts.

UCI, which entered the week No. 3 in the nation in three-point shooting (43.3%), made 9 of 18 beyond the arc.

After Northridge (6-7, 1-2) turned a 24-7 first-half deficit into a 31-30 lead with 16:36 left in the game, Campbell and Adam Templeton made back-to-back three-pointers within an 18-second span. It started a run of seven three-pointers among UCI’s next 10 field goals.

“We’re a pretty good shooting team,” Douglass said. “When we play hard and have good defensive intensity, we shoot well.”

UCI controlled the game early, but failed to score in the final 7:20 of the first half, as its lead shrunk to 24-21.

Northridge led, 47-44, with 11:04 left, before an 8-0 UCI run put the hosts back in control.

“We lost the momentum, but we battled back to regain it,” said Douglass, who cited determination as the key to the team’s 3-0 Big West start. Entering conference play, UCI had lost five straight and seven of its last eight.

“People were out-working us,” Douglass said. “We lost four or five close games, because we got out-worked.”

Big West Conference

UC Irvine 76,

Cal State Northridge 62,

Score by Halves