Worku helps UCI men’s basketball team rally from 18-point deficit to defeat Cal State Northridge 74-68

Eyassu Worku led UCI Saturday afternoon with 17 points.

UC Irvine’s men’s basketball team erased an 18-point deficit to come from behind and beat Cal State Northridge 74-68 in a Big West Conference game Saturday afternoon at the Matadome.

UCI improves to 15-5 on the season and 3-1 in Big West play while CSUN falls to 8-12 overall and 2-2 in the conference.

The Anteaters outscored the Matadors 43-21 in the second half, closing on a 14-3 run.

Guard Eyassu Worku led UCI with 17 points going 4-for-4 from the free throw line and knocking down three 3-pointers.

Collin Welp (14 points), Evan Leonard and Max Hazzard (13 points each) also contributed. Welp and Hazzard scored all of their points in the second half.

Elston Jones had eight rebounds for UCI, which made just 35.8 percent of its field goal attempts (24 of 67) from made 11 of 25 3-pointers (44 percent).

“I think we are a tough-minded team and we know what we can do,” Worku said. “We came back in the second half and played with energy and defended on every possession. As a team we came together and it showed in the second half.”