GAME #7 

Sacramento State (4-2) at UC Irvine (3-3)
Saturday, December 6, 2014 – 7:00 p.m.
Bren Events Center (5,000) – Irvine, California

Series Record:  Tied 2-2
Last Meeting:  UCI won 79-53 (11/30/13 in Sacramento)

Radio:  KUCI/88.9 FM (Michael O'Sullivan)

Audio / Video / Live Stats / Tickets

● After four straight road games, UC Irvine returns to the Bren Events Center for a pair of home contests beginning with Sacramento State Saturday night.  Coach Russell Turner's Anteaters (3-3) host UT Arlington Dec. 13 before facing four more consecutive games away from home.

● This is just the fifth meeting in the UCI-Sacramento State series, which is tied 2-2.  UCI has won the past two match-ups, including 79-53 in Sacramento last season (11/30/13) when the 'Eaters outscored the Hornets, 57-21, over the game's final 23 ½ minutes.

● In last year's victory at Sacramento, Chris McNealy led UCI with 15 points.  Luke Nelson scored 14, Alex Young 12, and Will Davis II had a game-high nine rebounds and seven points.

● UCI is coming off a 72-63 loss at Fresno State Wednesday night.  Will Davis II had 12 points and 10 rebounds for his second straight double-double, Jaron Martin also scored 12 points and Luke Nelson 10.

DEFEND THE BREN:  The 'Eaters are 141-52 (.731) in the Bren Events Center dating back to February 2000.  UCI has won 28 of its last 33 (.848) games in the Bren Center.  The 'Eaters are 222-149 all-time in the Bren and 2-0 this season.

The Bren Events Center opened Jan. 8, 1987, when the 'Eaters defeated Utah State, 118-96, on the strength of 43 points by Scott Brooks, the current head coach of the NBA's Oklahoma City Thunder.

ANTEATER NOTES:  UC Irvine is ranked 13^th in this week's CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Top 25 poll…as of Friday, UCI ranks 33^rd in the nation in blocked shots per game (5.7) and 53^rd in field-goal percentage defense (.380)…sophomore center Mamadou Ndiaye is sixth nationally in field-goal percentage (.694)…he leads the 'Eaters in scoring at 12.0 points per game…in the last two games, senior forward Will Davis II has averaged 14.5 points and 11.0 rebounds in recording two straight double-doubles and 11 for his career…with 12 points at Fresno State Wednesday, Davis passed 1,000 career points and has 1,005, becoming the 24^th member of the UCI 1,000-point club…he ranks ninth in UCI history with 653 career boards…sophomore guard Jaron Martin had 12 points in 14 minutes off the bench at Fresno State Wednesday for the second-highest output of his career…junior guard Dominique Dunning had a career-high eight rebounds at Fresno State Wednesday…sophomore guard Luke Nelson is averaging 11.8 points and leads the team with 27 assists…Davis and junior guard Alex Young are averaging 10.2 points per game while senior guard Travis Souza is averaging 8.2 points…Young is fifth in UCI history with 323 career assists.

ABOUT SACRAMENTO STATE:  Seventh-year head coach Brian Katz's Hornets are 4-2 following a 72-61 loss at Abilene Christian Thursday night.  Sacramento State had won four straight prior to that game.

Senior guard Mikh McKinney leads the team in scoring at 15.6 points per game, followed by senior guard Dylan Garrity with an 11.8 average.

Senior forward Zach Mills leads the Hornets in rebounding at 5.8 boards per game.

The UCI game is Sacramento State's third in six days.

ON THIS DATE 28 YEARS AGO

● On this date 28 years ago, Dec. 6, 1986, UCI defeated Oral Roberts, 92-91 in overtime at Tulsa, Okla., as Frank Woods tipped in the winning basket as time expired.

● Scott Brooks led the 'Eaters with 22 points while Joe Buchanan had 17 points and eight assists.

● Woods and Mike Doktorczyk scored 14 points apiece.

__________________________________________________________