Anteaters in need of win against visiting Mustangs

When: Tonight, 7

Where: Bren Events Center

Breakdown: The Anteaters (7-14, 4-4) must win at least eight of their last nine games to avoid a losing regular-season record … UCI trounced the Mustangs (5-13, 2-6) by an 80-63 verdict Jan. 10 in San Luis Obispo … The two teams have split each of the last three seasons … UCI leads the Big West Conference in three-point shooting (39%), but ranks seventh among nine conference teams with 6.7 three-pointers per contest … Cal Poly is last in the conference in defending the three-pointer … UCI is last in the Big West in rebounding, while Cal Poly ranks last in rebounding margin (minus-six per contest) … UCI freshman center Eric Wise, averaging 13.4 points and 5.8 rebounds, had his first career double-double with 19 points and 10 rebounds in Saturday’s home loss to Long Beach State … UCI has lost three of its last five … Cal Poly has four scorers averaging in double figures, while UCI has three … Junior guard Michael Hunter (11.3 ppg, and a team-high 47 three-pointers), as well as senior Kevin Bland (10.2 ppg, 6.8 rpg) are additional UCI standouts … Chaz Thomas and Lorenzo Keeler (both 12.8 ppg), pace the Mustangs ... UCI is tied for fifth with UC Davis in the Big West standings and Cal Poly is tied with UCSB for seventh/last.

— Barry Faulkner