Anteaters visit rival Titans to open Big West season

UC IRVINE AT CAL STATE FULLERTON

WHEN: Tonight, 7

WHERE: Titan Gym

RADIO: KUCI/88.9 FM

BREAKDOWN: The Anteaters (5-8) have won seven straight Big West Conference openers, but will need a supreme effort to secure what would be their second win in 10 games away from campus this season ... The Titans (7-4) lead the conference in scoring (83.5 per game) and UCI is 0-5 when allowing opponents to score more than 70 this season ... Coach Bob Burton’s Titans are led by 5-foot-11 junior guard Josh Akognon, a Washington State transfer averaging 19.8 points and 4.1 three-pointers per game. Fullerton standouts also include senior guard Frank Robinson (16.7 ppg), senior Scott Cutley (14 points, 7.1 rebounds per contest) and junior guard Marcus Crenshaw (10.5 ppg) ... UCI is keyed by its veteran frontcourt of 6-7 senior Darren Fells (14.3 ppg, 4.6 rpg), 6-6 senior Patrick Sanders (13.7 ppg, 4.9 rpg) and 6-8 junior Kevin Bland (7.7 ppg, 5.9 rpg) ... Fells, the reigning Big West Player of the Week after averaging 22 points in two games last week, leads the conference in field-goal shooting (64.3%). The former Fullerton High star is shooting 69.2% from the field in his last six games ... UCI has met no opponent more times than Cal State Fullerton, which leads the series, 44-39 ... Titans administrative assistant Eric Glass played at Corona del Mar High ... This is the last of five straight road games for UCI, which plays host to UC Santa Barbara Thursday and Cal Poly San Luis Obispo (Jan. 12).

— Barry Faulkner