UC Irvine stays perfect on campus

IRVINE — It’s more of a battle plan than a battle cry. But the three-word credo has allowed the UC Irvine men’s basketball team to remain resolute during a season filled with flux and frustration.

“Defend the Bren,” was the slogan coined by the Anteaters during their preseason mountain retreat, said sophomore guard Chad DeCasas.

And the Anteaters took another step in making that pledge come true with a 79-62 Big West Conference victory over UC Davis before 1,281 at the Bren Events Center Thursday night.

It was the 12th victory without a loss in games played on campus for UCI (15-14, 9-6 in conference), the 11th win in as many tries at the Bren Center this season.

UCI earned a win in its only game at Crawford Court this season, and lost a designated home game played at the Anaheim Convention center, both while the Bren was undergoing repairs.

Thursday’s win helped repair a wound that had festered since UCI was beaten, 74-57, at UC Davis on Jan. 17. In that contest, the Aggies (9-21, 2-13) opened a 17-0 lead as UCI missed its first seven field-goal attempts.

Thursday, UCI converted its first five field-goal tries, including three three-pointers, and went on to extend its season-best winning streak to four games — all at home — heading into Saturday’s regular-season finale against visiting Cal State Fullerton.

“It was one of the goals we made at the start of the season to ‘Defend the Bren,’ ” said DeCasas, who had 10 points at halftime after making four of five from the field and two of three from three-point range. He finished with 13, one of five UCI starters to score in double figures and also shoot at least 56% from the field, making five of nine, three of six from threedom. He also shared team-high honors with five assists.

Senior forward Patrick Sanders, who was seven of 10 from the field and two of four from beyond the arc, led the winners with 18 points and also amassed a game-high four blocked shots.

Sophomore point guard Michael Hunter (five for eight from the field, two for three from three-point range) chipped in 12 points, five rebounds and three assists, while senior center Darren Fells (four of five from the field) had 11 points, four rebounds, five assists and three steals.

Senior guard Marcus McIntosh had 11 points on five-of-nine shooting and added one three-pointer to the hosts’ total of 11.

UCI finished 31 of 56 from the field (55.4%) and was 11 of 25 from three-point range (44%). The ’Eaters connected on just three of 20 three-point tries at Davis (15%).

Meanwhile, the UCI defense limited the Aggies to 40.4% field-goal shooting (19 of 47), including just eight of 23 from three-point range (34.8%).

“At their place, they got after us,” Douglass said of Davis, which held its only lead (3-0, after a Dominic Calegari three-pointer to open the contest) for 18 seconds, before Hunter connected from beyond the arc for the hosts.

“It was revenge,” said Fells, who missed some time in the first half after aggravating a bruised left thigh muscle he said has been bothering him for more than a month. “They dropped one on us early. With the start they had in our first game, we emphasized jumping on them early.”

With UCI refusing to miss early, the home crowd had plenty to cheer. Douglass, when asked to explain his team’s strong play at home this season, said that crowd energy serves his squad well, particularly on the defensive end.

“This team has to play with a lot of energy to be good on the defensive end,” Douglass said. “The home crowd [though smaller than usual Thursday] seems to provide that energy with its support and enthusiasm.”

Enthusiasm waned slightly after the game, when it was learned that UC Santa Barbara had defeated Cal State Northridge, locking UCI into the No. 5 seed for the upcoming Big West Tournament.

UCI had hoped to edge UCSB for the No. 4 seed, had the Gauchos lost twice this week and UCI won both its games.

The UCSB win also provides motivation for Cal State Fullerton, which will be playing for a share of the regular-season conference crown when it enters the Bren Center Saturday for a 7:05 p.m. contest.

Still, UCI figures to have plenty of motivation, the least of which is maintaining momentum going into the conference tournament, where the ’Eaters will need to win four games in four days to earn the conference’s lone berth into the NCAA Tournament.

“[Saturday’s Fullerton clash] is going to be like a Super Bowl tournament game,” said DeCasas, whose team was defeated, 93-83, in the conference opener at Fullerton on Jan. 4.

“Fullerton is a real good team and we’ve played well against real good teams,” Fells said. It’s going to be Senior Night and we want to Defend the Bren. Every since I’ve been a freshman, we’ve played well at home.”

Said Douglass, “It’s going to be our seniors’ last night [at home] and our guys respect Fullerton. It should be one of the better ballgames.”

Hunter was carried from the court with just less than seven minutes left with what he later said was a bruised knee. He did not return, but said he would be fine for Saturday.

Big West Conference

UC Irvine 79, UC Davis 62

UCD – Portz 7, Calegari 17, Oliver 11, Payne 8, Carter 8, Brucculeri 7, Clark 4.

3-pt. goals – Oliver 2, Carter 2, Calegari 2, Brucculeri 1, Portz 1.

Fouled out – Portz.

Technicals – None.

UCI – Sanders 18, DeCasas 13, Fells 11, Hunter 12, McIntosh 11, Lauer 3, Rembert 3, Harris 3, Ballard 3, Bland 2.

3-pt. goals – DeCasas 3, Sanders 2, Hunter 2, McIntosh 1, Rembert 1, Lauer 1, Harris 1.

Fouled out – None.

Technicals – None.

Halftime – UCI, 34-26.

BARRY FAULKNER may be reached at (714) 966-4615 or at barry.faulkner@latimes.com.