COLLEGE ROUNDUP

MEN’S BASKETBALL

UC Irvine 64,

Norfolk State 51

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — Senior Kevin Bland had a career-high 18 rebounds to go with 13 points and junior guard Michael Hunter had 19 points to help the Anteaters in the finale of the three-game Travelers Tip-Off Tournament Monday at Missouri State University.

The Anteaters (2-9) led, 21-20, at halftime after holding Norfolk State to 23.3% shooting (seven of 30 from the field). Norfolk (1-9) made just 11 of 31 shots after halftime and finished 29.5% from the field to help offset only seven turnovers.

UCI, thanks largely to Bland, earned a 45-35 rebounding advantage, reversing a weakness that has plagued it throughout the second worst start in the program’s history.

Freshman Eric Wise had 13 points and eight boards, while freshman Derrick Strings chipped in 10 points off the bench.

Hunter was four of seven from the field and eight of eight from the line. He also had three assists and two steals.

UCI returns home to face Utah in a nonconference contest Saturday at 7 p.m.

Travelers Tip-Off Tournament

UC Irvine 64, Norfolk State 51

NS – Lyons 13, Monroe 6, O’Quinn 6, DeLoach 12, Pauline 10, Worsley 4.

3-pt. goals – .Lyons 1, DeLoach 1.

Fouled out – None.

Technicals – Monroe 1.

UCI – Wise 13, Folker 2, Bland 13, Hunter 19, Lauer 3, Strings 10, Rembert 2, Atkinson 2.

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

Fouled out – None.

Technicals – None.

Halftime – UCI, 21-20.

Missouri State 57,

UC Irvine 48

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — Junior Kevin Bland’s 16 points were one-third of the Anteaters’ output in the Travelers Tip-Off Tournament loss to the tournament hosts Sunday at Missouri State University.

Junior Adam Folker had nine rebounds and six points in a starting role for UCI, which received six points and seven rebounds from freshman Eric Wise.

Bland made seven of 11 field-goal tries for UCI, which received seven rebounds and four points from junior Zack Atkinson.

Missouri State improved to 7-3 with the win.

Travelers Tip-Off Tournament

Missouri State 57, UC Irvine 48

UCI – Folker 6, Wise 6, Bland 16, Hunter 7, Lauer 3, Rembert 4, Atkinson 4, Strings 2.

3-pt. goals – Bland 2, Hunter 2, Lauer 1.

Fouled out – None.

Technicals – None.

MSU – Cooks 16, Jehle 5, Knapp 2, Laurie 10, McFarland 5, Fuehrmeyer 9, Creekmore 8, Weems 2.

3-pt. goals – Cooks 4, Laurie 2, Jehle 1, McFarland 1, Creekmore 1, Fuehrmeyer 1.

Fouled out – None.

Technicals – None.

Halftime – MSU, 27-26.

Cal State Dominguez Hills 84, Vanguard 64

CARSON — The host Toros shot 67.9% from the field after halftime (19 for 28) to break open what was a four-point advantage at the break and improve to 8-1 Monday.

Vanguard fell to 2-8.

The Lions were paced by junior Elvis Whitelow, who had three three-pointers to help accumulate 13 points.

Juniors Dennis Heenan and Greg Scott each had 10 points for the Lions, who lost the rebounding battle, 41-21 and had 15 turnovers to the Toros’ 11.

Nonconference

Cal State Dominguez Hills 84, Vanguard 64

VU – Whitelow 13, Trajceski 3, Scott 10, Heenan 10, Ellis 7, Glenn 8, Boyce 6, Aljoe 3, Bruns 2, Peart 2.

3-pt. goals – Whitelow 3, Scott 2, Heenan 2, Aljoe 1, Ellis 1, Trajceski 1.

Fouled out – None.

Technicals – None.

CSDH – Smith 21, Cawthorne 4, Hernandez 9, Willhite 5, McGrath 5, Walton 16, Toliver 11, Ward 7, Engle 4, Tinsley 2.

3-pt. goals – Willhite 1, McGrath 1, Walton 1, Toliver 1.

Fouled out – None.

Technicals – None.

Halftime – CSDH, 35-31.

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

Orange Coast 74,

College of the Canyons 73

COSTA MESA — Sophomore Casey Gomez hit the first of two free throws with no time left to lift the Pirates in the third-place game of the Coast Christmas Classic Sunday at OCC.

Gomez, who missed two free throws in the final seconds of a one-point loss earlier this season, had 15 points, five assists and four rebounds for the winners.

Freshman Jenny Lujan scored 18, making seven of nine field-goal attempts, and added a team-leading six rebounds for OCC (11-5).

Samantha Harrell had six points and five steals for the Pirates, who built a 23-point lead midway through the first half, only to see Canyons whittle away and tie it, 73-73, in the closing seconds.

Gomez and Lujan made the all-tournament team.

Canyons fell to 9-6.

The Pirates return to action Dec. 29 at the Ventura Crossover tournament.

Coast Christmas Classic

Third-place game

Orange Coast 74, College of the Canyons 73

COC – Bradley 18, Smith 18, Cross 3, Merriman 2, Knox 2, White 15, Wakefield 13, Frazier 2.

3-pt. goals – White 5. Bradley 3, Cross 1.

Fouled out – None.

OCC – Ibbotson 8, Harrell 6, Lujan 18, Gomez 15, Simmons 4, Bueno 7, Lewis 7, Alfafara 5, Mahi 4.

3-pt. goals – Gomez 2, Ibbotson 2, Lewis 2, Simmons 1, Alfafara 1, Bueno 1, Lujan 1.

Fouled out – None.

Halftime – OCC, 53-36.