UCI makes it eight in a row at home with 70-53 victory over Cal State Bakersfield

UCI’s Collin Welp maintains possession during Friday’s game. (Photo courtesy UCI Athletic Communiations)

UC Irvine’s men’s basketball team remained atop the Big West Conference with a 70-53 victory over Cal State Bakersfield Friday evening at the Bren Events Center.

UCI (10-5 overall, 6-1 in the Big West) got scoring from all 13 players who played. The Anteaters also remain undefeated at home (8-0). CSUB fell to 11-7 overall and 7-4 in Big West play.

Collin Welp led UCI with a game-high 16 points and had a career-high four blocks. He also had five rebounds and two steals.

Dawson Baker had 11 points and Brad Greene had a game-high eight rebounds and eight points.

The Anteaters were also strong defensively, holding Bakersfield to 39.3 percent (22 of 56) on field goals. UCI made 23 of 53 (43.4 percent).

UCI also outrebounded Bakersfield 38-32.

Justin Elder-Davis led the ‘Runners (11-7, 7-4) with eight points.

“I was impressed with our performance tonight and the level of competiveness that we reached as a group so that is encouraging,” said UCI Coach Russell Turner. “That doesn’t surprise me though because these guys are hungry and we still have a long way to go to be as good as we can be. We do appear to have buy in from everyone which is the most critical thing for us. Every guy that played, scored, and every guy that played brought energy and physicality on defense and the boards.”

NEXT UP

UCI plays its second game against Cal State Bakersfield Saturday at 7 p.m. at the Bren Center in a nationally televised ESPNU broadcast. Under Big West rules, no fans are allowed at games because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Source: UCI Athletic Communications