‘Eaters connect for win

IRVINE — The UC Irvine men’s basketball team rode what one might call the hobo offense to reach its desired destination Saturday night.

In order to first get to overtime, then prevail in the extra session for a 78-71 Big West Conference victory over visiting UC Riverside in front of 3,693 spectators at the Bren Events Center, the Anteaters moved the ball down and out.

Down low, then out beyond the three-point arc, that is, using the kick-out from inside to create and convert open three-pointers on its final possession of regulation, then two of its first three offensive trips in the five-minute overtime to pull away from the Highlanders.

UCI junior point guard Michael Hunter, who had just three points the first 39-plus minutes, sank a three-pointer from the left corner, set up by a kick-out pass from freshman center Eric Wise, that knotted the score with 28 seconds left in the second half.

Riverside (16-11, 7-7 in conference) had two shots before the regulation buzzer, but both missed.

Sophomore Patrick Rembert cashed in a Kevin Bland skip pass from the left block to the right wing to give UCI the lead for good, connecting from threedom to make it 65-63 with 3:41 left in overtime.

Wise, who led the Anteaters (11-18, 7-8) with 20 points and proved so problematic in the paint that the visitors frequently flooded three defenders in his vicinity when he received an entry pass, posted assists on the next two UCI buckets, both by Rembert, to put the hosts in command.

Rembert hit a three from the left wing with 2:55 left, then sank another bomb just inside the arc from the top of the key with 2:00 left for a 70-63 lead.

Two Riverside three-pointers helped the visitors close to within 71-69 with 30 seconds remaining, but UCI made seven of its final eight double-bonus foul shots down the stretch to hold on and move into a three-way tie for fifth place with just one conference game remaining.

As most of the nine Big West schools have two games left, narrowing down seeding scenarios for the eight-team postseason conference tournament set for March 11-14 at the Anaheim Convention Center, are difficult at best.

“I won’t look at that until I wake up [today],” UCI Coach Pat Douglass said.

Douglass’ squad, which led most of the first half, before Riverside responded to fuel a seesaw second 20 minutes, was looking at a 62-59 deficit with 40 seconds left, after Riverside leading scorer Kyle Austin (a game-high 24 points) sank two free throws.

But UCI, as it did in the final five-plus minutes, patiently executed its offense, allowing a collection of dangerous shooters to spot up on the perimeter, and allow Wise and Bland to draw defenders, then dish.

“Wise is a load down there,” Douglass said with a smile, of Wise, theAnteaters’ leading scorer, who was the Riverside County high school Player of the Year last season.

UCI, which came in leading the conference with a 40.4% accuracy rate from beyond the 20-foot-9 three-point marker, ranked No. 8 in the nation in that department and had made 28 of 52 for a gaudy 53.8% in its previous three games, heading into Saturday.

And while UCI made just nine of 23 from beyond the arc Saturday, it is now shooting 49.3% from threedom in the last four games.

“We might have more guys who are a threat that we’ve had,” Douglass said of his distance demons, who include Hunter, Rembert, Brett Lauer, Derrick Strings, Bland, Chad DeCasas and even Wise.

UCI got three-pointers from six players (all of the aforementioned threats except Bland).

DeCasas had 16 points off the bench.

Bland, who along with Lauer was honored on senior night, finished with 12 points and 11 rebounds.

Big West Conference

UC Irvine 78, UC Riverside 72

UCR – Austin 24, Borum 20, Dowdy 9, Cunningham 6, Soto 5, LoBue 8.

3-pt. goals – Austin 2, Borum 2, LoBue 2, Cunningham 1, Dowdy 1.

Fouled out – Soto.

UCI – Bland 12, Wise 20, Rembert 11, Hunter 6, Lauer 5, DeCasas 16, Folker 3, Strings 3, Atkinson 2.

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

Halftime – UCI, 29-24.

Regulation – 62-62.

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