LAS VEGAS, Nev. --- UC Irvine had a tough time with Rider in its opener to the 2017 Continental Tire Las Vegas Invitational losing, 90-82, on Thanksgiving inside the Orleans Arena.
The Rider Broncs (4-1) shot out to an early 8-2 lead in the opening minutes of the game helped out by two early fouls to
Tommy Rutherford. UC Irvine (2-4) persevered closing the gap momentarily before the Broncs opened it back up to a double-digit margin with eight minutes left in the half and as much as 13 points with 5:05 left.
The Anteaters found its stride down the waning minutes of the half going on a 13-2 run and making it a two-point game before a jumper to close the half from Rider's Stevie Jordan to make it a 40-36 Rider advantage to reclaim a little of the momentum.
Rider made the most out of that jumping back out to a double-digit lead early in the second half powered by seven early points from Frederick Scott, and with 13:48 left the Anteaters were staring at another 13-point deficit, 61-48. The deficit leapt to its peak of 15 points with 8:12 to go before the 'Eaters caught their rhythm drawing back within single digits and down to as little as five points with 1:02 left, but Rider leaned on its foul shooting as the Broncs scoring 12 consecutive points from the charity stripe and were without a bucket for over six minutes before Dimencio Vaughn's dunk putting the game away, 90-82.
"It was an unusual game tonight," said Head Coach
Russell Turner of the gameplan shift after incurring early fouls. "The quick fouls on our big guys changed the way we have to rotate so we played small, but our guys did a good job at staying in the game and fighting through the first half adversity.
The scoring leader through 20 minutes was
John Edgar Jr. with seven points, and he finished the night perfect from the field on five shots and one of five 'Eaters in double figures. The early foul trouble did limit
Tommy Rutherford who managed just two minutes as did
Brad Greene, and
Jonathan Galloway fouled out rather early on the picking up his fifth foul with over five minutes to go.
"Overall, our defensive performance wasn't very good. Gave up 99 in our last game and 90 in this one so I'm concerned about that. We've got to be a defensive team to have the identity I expect to have. It's not clear to me that we're committed to that right now."
Rider finished shooting 47.5% percent from the floor, which was actually lower than the 49:2% the 'Eaters shot, but asserted their gameplan and rode the wave of free throws late going 23 of 35 from the line to distance the Broncs.
"We need to perform better. We're a young team, but that's not an excuse. The team we played tonight is younger than we are. Credit to them, their guys are fighting hard to prove that they can play. Our guys are doing the same thing, but tonight they outperformed us, outbattled us, and that's disappointing."
Once again, the offensive numbers looked good for some 'Eaters with five players scoring in double figures for the second time this season and another deep performance where 10 Anteaters made a bucket.
John Edgar Jr.'s 12 points and
Brandon Smith's 11 points each approached career highs, and
Max Hazzard led all 'Eaters with 13.
Despite Galloway's limited time, he led the squad with six boards and picked up a pair of blocks. Rutherford managed to put home 10 points in 16 minutes of action and led UCI with two steals. EyassuWorku dished out a team-high five assists, and
Evan Leonard played 28 minutes to lead the 'Eaters and finished with 10 points.
The team still couldn't pick up a win with the losing skid growing to three games now and a quick turnaround with a game Friday morning at 11:00 a.m. against winless Northern Arizona to conclude the invitational.
