October 12, 2024

OC Sports Zone: Community First

Here’s tonight’s semifinal schedule for the Big West Tournament at Honda Center

UCI coach Russell Turner looks on as his players are introduced Thursday night (Photo: Tim Burt, OC Sports Zone).

Friday night’s semifinals at Honda Center:

No. 1 UCI vs. No. 5 Long Beach State, 6:30 p.m.

No. 2 UC Santa Barbara vs. No. 3 Cal State Fullerton, 9 p.m.

UC Santa Barbara, Cal State Fullerton, UC Irvine and Long Beach State came away with victories Thursday night in the quarterfinals of the Big West Men’s Basketball Tournament at Honda Center.

UCI defeated UC Riverside 63-44 in the quarterfinals, winning its 28th game, tying a school record. (To read more about UCI’s win, please click here)

The Anteaters move on to the 6:30 p.m. semifinal game Friday night against Long Beach State.

The 49ers defeated Hawaii 68-66 Thursday night on a jumper by Jordan Roberts with one second left.

Roberts led the 49ers (15-18) with 18 points. Deishaun Booker added 15 points for Long Beach State, which trailed by as many as 18 points in the first half and 37-29 at halftime.

Zigmars led Hawaii (18-13) with 14 points.

UCI’s only conference loss came to Long Beach State on Jan. 16 when the 49ers won 80-70 at the Bren Center. UCI defeated Long Beach State 82-80 on Feb. 2 in Long Beach.

No. 3 Cal State Fullerton will play No. 2 seed UC Santa Barbara in the other semifinal Friday at 9 p.m.

In other Big West games Thursday:

Cal State Fullerton 75, UC Davis 71: The No. 3 seeded Titans (15-16) were led by Khalil Ahmad, who had 32 points and made 10 or 17 field goal attempts. Kyle Allman Jr. added 20 points for the Titans, who move on to the semifinals Friday night.

No. 6 UC Davis (11-20) was led by TJ Shorts from Tustin High who scored 28 points and eight assists and Matt Neufield, who scored 16 points.

UC Santa Barbara 71, Cal State Northridge 68: No. 2 seeded UCSB was led by Ar’Mond Davis with 19 points.

-Tim Burt, OC Sports Zone; timburt@ocsportszone.com