Men’s Basketball: ‘Eaters stifle Aggies

The UC Irvine men’s basketball team’s offense benefited from a second-half Nelson, but its defense applied a much more restrictive maneuver to help the Anteaters claim a Big West Conference opening showdown of defending champions Thursday.

UCI, the 2015 Big West Tournament winner, stymied the reigning conference regular-season champions to secure a 76-55 thumping in front of 2,831 at the Bren Events Center.

Nelson, a junior guard, scored 10 second-half points in a span of just less than four minutes early in the period to help UCI comfortably expand its 30-25 halftime advantage.

Nelson, who made six of eight field-goal attempts, including four of five three-pointers, finished with a team-best 16 points to help the ‘Eaters (12-5) improve to 6-0 at home this season.

UCI, ranked No. 18 in the CollegeInsider.com mid-major top 25, held an opponent to fewer than 60 points for the fifth time this season, the fourth time in the last six games.

UC Davis (5-9), with a methodical offense based on rapid and relentless ball movement, shot 30% from the field and 23.1% from three-point line.

The game was stark contrast to the teams’ two regular-season contests last season, when the Aggies twice topped the ‘Eaters by 19 points and produced a combined 155 points. UC Davis shot nearly 54% from the field, including making seven of 10 three-point tries, in a March 5 win at the Bren last season.

At Davis last March, the Aggies made six of 13 from threedom to post an equally lopsided verdict.

“Last year, they took us apart twice,” UCI Coach Russell Turner said of the Aggies, who were held without a field goal for a span of 12:20 in the first half Thursday. “I think that was part of what enabled our guys to be focused and concentrated on the defensive end the way they were.

“I’m looking to see our emotional commitment on the defensive end,” Turner said. “When that’s there, we have a chance to be a good team. And it was there for the most part tonight.

“Our defense is how we show our togetherness and our commitment. We have good individual defenders and when we play the way we did tonight, we are capable of being a good defensive team. I think that’s the key for us if we have championship aspirations.”

Nelson said Turner emphasized last year’s futility against UC Davis in practice leading up to Thursday’s game.

“[Turner] made it motivation,” Nelson said. “He brought up [last year’s two losses to Davis] every day in practice. We didn’t match up well with them last year and they beat us comfortably two times. That was motivation for each of us to come out and bring it today, which we did.”

No Aggie made more than three field goals as the visitors made 22 of 29 foul shots to avoid even more offensive futility.

Mamadou Ndiaye had 11 points and six rebounds, while Alex Young added 10 points, six rebounds and four assists for the winners.

Jonathan Galloway and Ioannis Dimakopoulos had seven points apiece and combined for nine rebounds and four of UCI’s seven blocked shots.

UCI posted a 22-12 rebounding advantage after halftime to win the battle of the glass, 37-32.

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Big West Conference

UC Irvine 76, UC Davis 55

UCD – Fox 17, Monson 3, White 4, Graham 5, Schneider 8, Printup 6, Lemar 5, Funtarov 4, Goode 3.

3-pt. goals – Printup 2, Lemar 1.

Fouled out – White.

Technicals – None.

UCI – Best 9, Smith 3, Ndiaye 11, Nelson 16, Young 10, Dimakopoulos 7 Galloway 7, Wright 6, Saprykinas 4, Martin 3.

3-pt. goals – Nelson 4, Wright 1, Saprykinas 1, Dimakopoulos 1.

Fouled out – None.

Technicals – None.

Halftime – 30-25, UCI.