GAME #1
Ticket Information
Video / Audio / Live Stats
Fresno State (0-0) at UC Irvine (0-0)
Friday, November 8, 2013 – 7:00 p.m.
Bren Events Center (5,000) – Irvine, Calif.
Series Record: Fresno State leads 26-10
Last Meeting: UCI won 58-51 (12/15/12 in Fresno)
Radio: KUCI/88.9 FM (Mark Roberts, 20th Season, & Steve Henkle)
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UC IRVINE HOSTS FRESNO STATE FRIDAY NIGHT
● Fourth-year head coach Russell Turner's UC Irvine squad opens the 2013-14 regular season hosting Fresno State Friday night in the Bren Center, where the 'Eaters were 9-0 in Big West games and 12-1 overall last season. UCI also had a home win at Crawford Court over High Point in the first round of the CollegeInsider.com Tournament (CIT) last March.
● UCI defeated Chapman, 89-61, in an exhibition game at the Bren Center last Saturday night. Senior guard Chris McNealy led the 'Eaters with 17 points, junior center John Ryan added 15 and junior forward Will Davis II had 10 points. Ryan and 7-6 freshman center Mamadou Ndiaye each registered seven rebounds. Ndiaye also had five blocked shots.
● UCI has been picked to win the Big West Conference in the league's preseason media poll and by multiple publications.
● The 'Eaters are coming off a 21-win season last year, reached the championship game of the Big West Conference Tournament and advanced to the second round of the CollegeInsider.com Tournament (CIT).
● Fresno State is making its first appearance in the Bren in 21 years, last playing here in 1992 during the school's final year as a member of the Big West Conference.
● Fresno State leads the series, 26-10, but the 'Eaters won last season, 58-51, in Fresno (12/15/12).
● UCI goes on the road next week to former Big West member Pacific Tuesday night in Stockton and Washington Thursday in the 2K Sports Classic benefiting Wounded Warrior Project Seattle Regional.
DEFEND THE BREN
● UCI was 9-0 in Big West Conference games in the Bren Center last season and 12-1 overall (only loss was 66-60 to LSU). The 'Eaters are 124-48 (.721) in the Bren dating back to February 2000. UCI is 205-145 all-time in the Bren.
● The Bren Center will mark its 27th anniversary in January. The center opened Jan. 8, 1987, when the 'Eaters defeated Utah State, 118-96, on the strength of 43 points by Scott Brooks. Brooks is head coach of the NBA's Oklahoma City Thunder and the 2010 NBA Coach of the Year.
UC IRVINE NOTES
● UCI finished 21-16 overall last season, tying the program's third-best mark for single-season victories. The 'Eaters were 11-7 in the Big West for the program's most conference victories in 10 years. UCI advanced to the championship game of the Big West Conference Tournament last March for the fourth time in history and the first time in the last five years.
● The 'Eaters made the program's first postseason appearance in 11 years, defeating High Point in the CIT first round before falling at Oral Roberts in the second round. The victory over High Point was UCI's first postseason win in 27 years, since defeating UCLA, 80-74, in the 1986 NIT first round at Pauley Pavilion.
● UCI has three 7-footers and a total of seven players standing 6-8 and above on its roster. Joining 7-0 sophomore Conor Clifford are 7-6 freshman Mamadou Ndiaye (Brethren Christian HS) and 7-2 freshman Ioannis Dimakopoulos (L.A. Cathedral HS). Ndiaye is the tallest player in the nation.
● Clifford, who played in 32 games as a true freshman last season, is planning to redshirt this season.
● Ndiaye was the 2013 National Christian Schools Athletic Association Player of the Year at Brethren Christian, where he averaged 27 points, 14 rebounds and 4.5 blocked shots per game.
● Dimakopoulos, a 2013 McDonald's All-American nominee at Cathedral High, has played for the Greek National teams in the U16 and U18 European Championships.
● Luke Nelson is another highly-regarded newcomer to the Anteater program. Nelson, a 6-3 freshman guard, was named Player of the Year in the top division in England and also was selected England U18 Player of the Year in 2013.
● A group of talented returning players had pivotal roles during UCI's 21-win season in 2012-13.
● Will Davis II, a 6-8 junior forward, broke his own single-season record with 88 blocked shots as he earned the Big West Conference's "Best Defensive Player" Award. Davis, who averaged 9.7 points and a team-leading 6.8 rebounds, was named to the CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Defensive All-America team. He was named to the Big West preseason all-conference team.
● Alex Young, a 6-1 sophomore point guard, broke the UCI freshman single-season record with 144 assists and was named Big West co-Freshman of the Year. He averaged 9.2 points and was selected to the Mid-Major Freshman All-America team. Young's assist/turnover ratio of 2.62 ranked 16th in the nation last season.
● Davis and Young were named to the All-Big West Tournament team after helping lead the Anteaters to the championship game for the fourth time in school history. UCI competed in the CollegeInsider.com (CIT) Tournament, defeating High Point in the first round before falling at Oral Roberts in the second round. The victory over High Point was UCI's first postseason win in 27 years.
● Chris McNealy, a 6-4 guard, is the Anteaters' lone senior in 2013-14. He averaged 9.2 points and 4.2 rebounds, and was named to the all-tournament team at the Huntsville Legends Classic Subregional.
● Travis Souza, a 6-5 junior guard, shot 49 percent from three-point range last season and averaged 3.5 points per game.
● The backcourt is bolstered by 6-4 sophomore Dominique Dunning, who sat out last year after transferring from New Mexico. Dunning was a finalist for Mr. Basketball in the state of California as a senior at Corona Centennial High School in 2011.
● John Ryan, a 6-10 junior, played in 24 games last season, averaging 2.3 points. He played his freshman season at Fresno State. Redshirt sophomore Mike Best, also 6-10, also returns on the 'Eaters' front line.
● Sophomore guards Aaron Wright and Reed McConnell are also back for the 'Eaters. Wright saw action in 26 games and McConnell eight last season. Ege Mala, a 6-7 forward from Turkey, was a redshirt with the Anteater program last season and has four years of eligibility remaining.
● Shawn Ray, a 6-8 junior forward from El Camino College, and Jaron Martin, a 5-10 freshman guard from Chaminade College Prep, also have joined the 'Eaters' program this season. Ray played two seasons at El Camino and averaged 8 points and 7 rebounds last season. Martin averaged 21 points and 7 assists at Chaminade Prep as a senior.
ABOUT FRESNO STATE
● Rodney Terry is in his third year as head coach at Fresno State, which was 11-19 overall last season and 5-11 in the Mountain West Conference for seventh place.
● Fresno State defeated Dominican, 91-67, in an exhibition game Monday night. Senior guard Allen Huddleston scored a game-high 21 points and freshman forward Karachi Edo added 20 points and eight rebounds.
● The Bulldogs topped Cal State Stanislaus, 76-71, in an exhibition last Friday. Senior guard Tyler Johnson and sophomore guard Marvelle Harris scored 23 points each.
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