Box Score
LAS VEGAS, Nev. --- UC Irvine limited Bradley to 10.3 percent shooting from the field in the second half as the Anteaters earned a 55-47 victory in the South Point Holiday Hoops Classic at Las Vegas, Nev., Sunday.
UCI held Bradley to 3 of 29 from the floor in the final 20 minutes as the Anteaters improved to 5-5 overall. Coach Russell Turner's UCI squad will meet Green Bay in the championship game Monday at 1:30 p.m. at South Point Arena.
The Anteaters, who trailed 27-14 with 4:11 left in the first half, went on a 29-4 run over the next 13 ½ minutes stretching into the second half, taking a 43-31 lead on a basket by junior Aaron Wright with 10:32 left in the game. UCI took the lead for good at 29-27 on a layup from sophomore guard Jaron Martin with 16:52 remaining.
A pair of free throws from junior guard Alex Young gave UCI a 50-40 lead with 5:08 remaining, but Bradley cut the deficit to four points at 51-47 on two free throws by Tramique Sutherland with 2:00 left before the Anteaters hit 4 of 6 free throws to close out the win.
Senior guard Travis Souza led the 'Eaters with 12 points, hitting 4 of 7 threes, and Martin added 10 points and five rebounds.
Sophomore guard Luke Nelson recorded nine points and three assists, Wright had seven points on 3-of-3 shooting and junior guard Dominique Dunning tied his career high with eight rebounds.
Senior forward Will Davis II snared six boards for UCI, which snapped a two-game losing streak.
Omari Grier led Bradley (4-7) with 13 points and Sutherland added 12. Jermaine Morgan pulled down a game-high 10 rebounds.
UCI shot 40.9 percent from the field in the game and held Bradley to just 26.8 percent. The 'Eaters hit 8 of 15 threes to Bradley's 3 of 13. Bradley won the battle of the boards, 40-32, and outscored UCI, 18-7, off turnovers.
This was the fifth meeting in the series between the schools and the first in 23 years to the day. UCI now leads the series, 4-1.
Monday will mark just the second meeting between UCI and Green Bay, with the Phoenix winning 77-65 in the Oneida Classic at Green Bay, Wis., Dec. 30, 2005.
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