IRVINE, Calif. --- Senior Chris McNealy spotlighted a pair of critical wins for the 'Eaters last week earning him Buffalo Wild Wings Anteater of the Week honors.

The senior guard, who recently became the 17th player in program history to reach 1,000 points and 500 rebounds in his career, elevated UC Irvine to sole possession of first place in the Big West with wins over UC Santa Barbara and Cal Poly.

In the decisive, 11-point triumph over the Gauchos, McNealy led all scorers with 17 points going a perfect 5-of-5 from the field and the free throw line and draining both three-pointers he attempted. He returned Saturday night on to put up seven points in addition to six boards, a steal, and a monster block to pave the way for a seven-point victory over the Mustangs, all while turning the ball over just once in the matchups.

The senior has started all 30 games shooting 45% from the field while dropping 33 three-pointers and 11.6 points per game, second-most on the squad in all regards.  Elsewhere, his 4.6 rebounds per game, 24 steals, and 71 assists all rank him third on the squad.

He will play his final two regular season matches this week starting at Cal State Fullerton, Thurs. Mar. 6, and ending with his final home game Saturday afternoon, March 8, at 4:30 p.m. at the Bren Events Center as UCI takes on UC Davis on Prime Ticket.

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