Anteaters rally for first win

MALIBU — It has long been theorized that the dunk, and the proliferation of its prominence in daily televised basketball highlights, has contributed most to the depletion of mid-range shooting. And the NCAA’s decision to extend its three-point line nine inches this season was supposed to discourage teams from hoisting perimeter jumpers.

But the UC Irvine men’s team, which finishes with dunks about as frequently as it appears on ESPN, is shooting in the face of such conventional wisdom.

The Anteaters made eight three-pointers, as well as five more field goals from just inside the now-internationally standard 20-foot, 6-inch arc, to key a 71-63 nonconference victory over host Pepperdine Sunday at the Waves’ Firestone Fieldhouse.

Only four of the Anteaters’ 24 field goals were between three and 20 feet, with only two of those between 10 and 15 feet.

UCI junior guard Michael Hunter was four of seven from three-point range, including three in a row without a miss, while freshman teammate Derrick Strings netted a three ball from the left corner with 1:02 remaining to make it 68-63 and all but clinch the visitors’ first win of the season.

Senior Brett Lauer, who came in ranked fifth in the nation in three-point accuracy (66.7%) was two for five from threedom. He also converted all three free throws prompted when he was fouled while jettisoning a bomb midway through the opening half.

Junior Chad DeCasas rounded out the Anteaters’ three-point brigade, which finished eight for 18 for the game (44.4%). Adding in the aforementioned near-threes, UCI made 13 of 23 attempts from 20 feet and beyond (56.5%), nearly matching the 57.9% accuracy from elsewhere. The ‘Eaters (1-6) shot 70.6% from the field in the second half to finish 57.1% for the game.

Conversely, Pepperdine (1-7) produced 34 of its points in the paint. Adding its 13 foul shots, all of which came from inside fouls, and nearly 75% of the Waves’ points came virtually within a drop step of the rim.

That, of course, was hardly encouraging for UCI Coach Pat Douglass, who cited Pepperdine’s penetration as a constant concern.

“We were trying different ways of trying not to let them get five feet from the bucket,” Douglass said. “But they’re a little stronger than us at the guard spot, so it was hard to get away from penetration. We talked at halftime about finding a way to limit them getting so close to the bucket. [Our guards] did a good job, at times, then they started to get a little bit of help from their teammates.”

UCI’s halftime adjustments were partly responsible for it erasing a 37-32 deficit at the break. UCI trailed, 35-24, with just more than a minute left before intermission in a game that featured eight lead changes and eight ties.

Freshman Eric Wise also provided a second-half boost for the visitors, scoring 13 of his team-high 15 points in the final 20 minutes to key the comeback. Wise had seven rebounds and made five of six free throws in the final 5:03.

Senior Kevin Bland, responsible for three of his team’s four mid-range baskets, finished five of seven from the field to account for 11 points. He also led the winners with 10 rebounds and his four assists matched team-high honors also shared by Hunter and Patrick Rembert.

“I thought [Bland] played an outstanding ballgame,” Douglass said.

All five UCI starters made at least half of their field-goal tries, while Rembert, a sophomore guard, was three of four from the field and had 10 points in 21 reserve minutes.

Lauer had 11 points.

“It’s definitely great to get that first win,” Bland said.

Douglass agreed.

“The kids have been battling, so this should give us a little boost and brighten our spirits a little bit.”

The win snapped a seven-game losing streak dating back to last season.

Nonconference

UC Irvine 71, Pepperdine 63

UCI – Wise 15, Bland 11, Hunter 14, Lauer 11, Strings 7, Rembert 10, DeCasas 3.

3-pt. goals – Hunter 4, Lauer 2, Strings 1, DeCasas 1.

Pep – Dupre 13, Suttle 9, Agre 4, Jackson 17, Bell 8, Tucker 5, Moore 3, Thompson 2, Hornbuckle 2.

3-pt. goals – Suttle 1, Jackson 1.

Halftime: Pep, 37-32.