IRVINE, Calif. --- Junior guard Luke Nelson poured in a career-high 29 points to lead UC Irvine over UC Riverside, 84-68, in a Big West Conference game before 4,233 at the Bren Events Center Saturday night.
Nelson was 10 of 15 from the field, including 4 of 5 on threes, plus was 5 of 5 from the free throw line as the Anteaters improved to 13-5 overall and 2-0 in the Big West.
Junior center Mamadou Ndiaye added 12 points, seven rebounds and two blocked shots while junior guard Jaron Martin scored 11 points in 17 minutes off the bench for UCI, which won for the sixth time in its last seven games.
Senior guard Alex Young had nine points, four rebounds and four assists, with senior forward Mike Best registering eight points and seven boards.
Young currently has 487 career assists as he closes in on the 500-mark.
Junior center Ioannis Dimakopoulos added five points, six rebounds, three assists and three blocked shots. Senior guard Aaron Wright also had three assists along with a pair of steals as UCI won for the 43rd time in its last 51 home games.
Jaylen Bland led the Highlanders (9-9, 0-2) with 20 points while Secean Johnson and Taylor Johns added 15 points apiece.
UCI shot 56.3 percent from the field and held UC Riverside to 36.1 percent as the 'Eaters are 10-0 this season when the opposition shoots under 40 percent.
The Anteaters were 22 of 28 from the foul line, including 18 of 23 in the second half. UCI hit 8 of 12 threes and the Highlanders 7 of 23. UC Riverside, which was 17 of 28 from the foul line, had a 36-33 edge on the boards.
UCI shot 61.5 percent from the field in the first half in building a 43-29 halftime lead as Nelson scored 18 points on 7-of-9 shooting in the opening 20 minutes.
The 'Eaters led by double digits throughout the second half and built a 21-point lead at 70-49 on a basket by Nelson with 6:02 remaining.
UCI goes on the road for two Big West games next week, facing Long Beach State Thursday at 7:30 p.m. (Prime Ticket) and UC Santa Barbara Saturday at 4:00 p.m.
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