Box Score UCI/Big West Tournament Central
ANAHEIM, Calif. --- Will Davis II scored 17 points and grabbed 10 rebounds while Luke Nelson added 14 points to lead UC Irvine over UC Riverside, 63-54, in a quarterfinal game of the Big West Conference Tournament at the Honda Center Thursday night.
Davis was 8 of 10 from the field as the third-seeded Anteaters improved to 19-12 overall. This was his fifth double-double of the season and 14th in his career.
Nelson added four assists for UCI, which closed the game with an 18-6 run over the last seven minutes.
Sixth-seeded Riverside (14-17) was led by Taylor Johns with 15 points and 11 boards.
A three by Jaron Martin just before the horn gave UCI a 24-23 halftime lead. It was Martin's fourth first-half buzzer-beater of the season.
Steven Thornton's layup with 7:35 remaining gave Riverside a 48-45 lead before UCI launched its run.
Davis scored back-to-back baskets at 6:58 and 6:01 to five the 'Eaters the lead for good at 49-48.
Ioannis Dimakopoulos hit a shot with 5:28 left for a 51-48 UCI lead before Alex Larsson hit one of two free throws to pull the Highlanders within 51-49 with 4:53 remaining.
The 'Eaters then scored six consecutive points, capped by three straight from Davis, to go up 57-49 with 1:58 left.
A three by Jaylen Bland at 1:44 and two free throws from Nick Gruninger with 50 seconds remaining cut the margin to 57-54, but Alex Young hit four straight free throws and Martin added two in the final 30 seconds to seal the win for UCI.
Young scored eight points and added four assists and three steals, and Dimakopoulos also scored eight points and had three boards and two blocked shots.
UCI shot 42 percent from the field to 35.5 percent for Riverside. The Anteaters outrebounded the Highlanders, 44-37.
UCI has won 47 of its last 48 games when limiting the opposition to 60 points or less.
The 'Eaters play in the 9:00 semifinal Friday night against UC Santa Barbara.
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