‘Eaters lose opener

FRESNO -- In the beginning, there were turnovers.

And with 15 combined new faces on both rosters, the miscues continued well toward halftime of the season-opening men’s basketball game between UC Irvine and South Alabama Friday in the Basketball Travelers Classic at Fresno State’s Save Mart Center.

It was then, somehow fitting that a turnover cost the Anteaters a chance at victory after a valiant second-half comeback in a 67-63 South Alabama win.

UCI, with three first-time starters, including both guards, committed 16 turnovers in the first 15 minutes and finished with 25.

But South Alabama had 12 miscues before halftime and committed 18 in all, allowing UCI to enter halftime in a 23-23 deadlock.

After both teams used scoring surges to claim and lose leads after halftime, the Anteaters had possession with 15 seconds left, trailing, 65-63.

But Marcus McIntosh, a junior point guard playing his first game as an Anteater after transferring from Texas A&M;, lost control of the ball while under defensive pressure after dribbling across the midcourt line with about eight seconds remaining.

South Alabama’s Daon Merritt picked up the loose ball and was headed for a breakaway layup, before being fouled intentionally from behind by Adam Templeton.

Merritt made both free throws and the Jaguars inbounded and ran out the clock to finish an opener both teams are glad is behind them.

“I thought we were very, very fortunate to win,” South Alabama Coach John Pelphrey said.

The Jaguars, who won 24 games last season and lost in the first round of the NCAA Tournament to eventual national champion Florida, lost the rebounding battle, 25-21, and shot 10 fewer free throws than the ‘Eaters. South Alabama’s first free throw came with 12:15 left in the game.

“And we obviously committed too many turnovers,” said Pelphrey, a former Kentucky standout.

The Jaguars, however, were able to overcome their own inexperience, as well as the Anteaters’ impressive resolve, thanks in large part to making six of nine three-point attempts after halftime.

They made just five of 15 from threedom in the first 20 minutes.

Demetric Bennett, a junior guard, made his first six shots from the field after halftime, including four from beyond the arc, on his way to 22 second-half points

Bennett led the winners with 27 points, followed by 18 from Merritt, a junior point guard who added seven assists and had all five of his rebounds on the offensive end.

UCI, which is now 3-7 in openers under Coach Pat Douglass, managed to settle down after having eight different players record first-half turnovers.

Templeton, a sophomore, finished a 7-0 Anteaters run at the end of the first half with a three ball, then connected from the top of the key to give UCI a 28-23 lead 38 seconds into the second half.

Templeton finished four of eight from three-point range and five of five from the foul line to pace the designated home team with 17 points, one shy of his career high.

“We knew going in that our guard play was inexperienced,” Douglass said. “But we didn’t anticipate as many turnovers from our veterans as we got tonight.

“But I thought the times when we settled down and took care of the ball, we were effective. We made a comeback and had a chance to either go ahead or tie it and go into overtime, so I was proud of the way we stayed with it.”

Returning starters Darren Fells and Patrick Sanders had 10 and 11 points, respectively and Fells matched Templeton for the team rebounding lead with five.

But Sanders had five turnovers and Fells, Templeton and McIntosh commited four turnovers apiece.

McIntosh finished with 10 points, including a driving 10-footer with 1:02 left that pulled the Anteaters within 60-58.

With UCI down, 64-60, Templeton drained a step-back three from the top of the key with 17 seconds left to cut the lead to one.

Bennett missed the first of two free-throw attempts with 15 seconds left to open the door, but UCI could not capitalize.

Chad DeCasas, who scored three points and had two rebounds, was a stabilizing factor off the bench, Douglass said.

South Alabama’s sizzling second-half shooting helped it finish at 48.9% from the field.

UCI made five of six three-pointers after halftime (83.3%) and was nine for 14 beyond the arc for the game (64.3%). But it made just nine of 24 inside the three-point line for the game (37.5%).

UCI continues in the tournament tonight at 6 against Winston-Salem State.

Basketball Travelers Classic

South Alabama 67,

UC Irvine 63

South Alabama -- Davis 2, Buboltz 3, Bennett 27, Merritt 18, Smith 10, Grigsby 4, Cloud 3.

3-pt. goals -- Bennett 5, Merritt 2, Smith 2, Buboltz 1, Cloud 1.

UC Irvine -- Sanders 11, Templeton 17, Fells 10, McIntosh 10, Awaji 5, Hunter 3, Osborn 3, DeCasas 3, Johnson 1.

3-pt. goals -- Templeton 4, Sanders 1, McIntosh 1, Awaji 1, Hunter 1, Osborn 1.