|
(January 26, 2008) –
UC Riverside fell to the UC Irvine Anteaters 67-53 down in
Irvine, CA Saturday night. Senior Larry Cunningham and freshman
Jalonni Diggs finished with 12 and 11 points, respectively,
to the lead the way for the Highlanders (4-14, 1-6 Big West).
A much improved night of
shooting was produced by the young UCR squad as they knocked
down 19-of-46 (41.6%) shots including six threes throughout
the game. UCI (8-11, 3-3 Big West) though, answered with a
43.9% shooting night including eight from behind the arc.
The most deciding factor
were the trips to the line by both squads. The Highlanders
were only able to get to the line and make 9-of-14 attempts
while the low-post playing Anteaters finished the night with
23 of their 26 trips to the charity stripe, made.
A strong first half was
played by UCR, using buckets by eight different players and
owning a lead as large as nine at one point, 27-18 with 4:43
remaining. But UCI answered the Highlander hot start with
an equally hot finish, going on a 12-2 run to close out the
half, capped by a Patrick Sanders three in the final seconds.
The Anteater run and 12 first half points by Sanders gave
them a 30-28 advantage at the break.
Both teams traded baskets
in the first five minutes before junior Christina Soto’s
layup tied it a 37-37. UCI would get slowly pull away, using
four three pointers and a 15-for-18 performance at the free-throw
line to hold of the Highlanders.
Even though they stayed
consistent with their shots from the floor, shooting 9-of-22
(40.9%) from the floor, UCR was unable to get to line and
match the Anteaters production from the stripe. They were
only able to earn four trips to the free-throw line in the
second half and made two of them.
A sign that they were working
hard, the Highlanders held their own down low, winning the
battle on the boards, 29-26, and put up 14 points in the paint
to UCI’s 12. Another difference was that the Anteaters
forced 15 UCR turnovers and produced them into 19 points.
Sanders finished with game-highs of 21 points and seven rebounds
while Darren Fells added 16 points for Irvine.
Soto chipped in with nine
points and four boards and junior Severin Gates brought down
a team-high five rebounds for the Highlanders who next play
against UC Santa Barbara this Wednesday at 7:00 p.m. in the
Student Rec Center.
|
