UC Irvine’s men’s basketball team is out to secure an automatic berth in the NCAA Tournament when it faces UC San Diego Saturday night in the championship game of the Big West Post Season Tournament in Henderson, Nev.
The game will be carried live on ESPN2 at 6:40 p.m. It will be UCI’s 10th appearance in a Big West championship game.
UCI dominated the second half in a 96-78 victory over Cal Poly in a semifinal of the Big West Championship at the Lee’s Family Forum Friday.
After trailing 38-39 at the half, UC Irvine out-scored the Mustangs 58-39. UCI was outstanding in the final 20 minutes, shooting 61.8 percent from the field (21-of-34) and 10-of-11 (0.909) from the line.
Center Bent Leuchten led the Anteaters with 21 points and 10 rebounds. It was his 17th double-double of the year and eighth game scoring 20 or more points and 10 or more boards.
Coach Russell Turner’s Anteaters (28-5) shot 55.7 percent from the floor (34-of-61), including 10-of-20 from 3-point range. UCI went 18-of-22 (0.818) from the line and out-rebounded the Mustangs 41-23.
Forward Devin Tillis went 7-of-10 from the floor, including a three and 2-of-2 from the line for 17 points,
guard Justin Hohn had 15 points, shooting 5-of-9 from the field, hitting two three-pointers.
Guards Myles Che and Jurian Dixon each scored 10 points with two three-pointers and two rebounds and forward Kyle Evans each had 10 points, on a perfect 4-of-4 from the floor and 2-of-2 from the line.
—-Courtesy UCI Athletic Communications
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