LOS ANGELES, Calif. --- The Anteaters hung with the Bruins into the second half, and Max Hazzard rose up in front of numerous friends and family as No. 23 UCLA handed UCI an 87-63 defeat Sunday afternoon in Pauley Pavilion.
 
The 'Eaters (3-5) were the aggressors early jumping out to a four-point lead in the early minutes and a 9-8 advantage into the first media timeout.
 
UCLA (5-1) kept with the 'Eaters, but couldn't shake them as the score was knotted at 15-15 before the Bruins found a foothold.
 
Prince Ali and Kris Wilkes gave UCLA a push in the form of a 17-3 run to open up a 32-18 lead. UCI reeled the Bruins back in to nine as the half closed with UCI trailing, 38-29.
 
Max Hazzard stepped on the gas to open up the second half hitting a three to start just as in the first half, and then kept feeding the fire nailing four threes in the opening minutes drawing UC Irvine to within two points at 45-43.
 
The game really turned after that with 14:57 left in the game. UCLA got to the foul line on three straight possessions, and then another foul sent the Bruins back to the line compounded by a technical foul on head coach Russell Turner as UCLA would sink each shot and suddenly the lead was back to double digits at 55-43.
 
The Bruins never looked back or let the game get back to single digits riding 17 foul shots and a 23-15 rebounding advantage in the second half to created space and pull away for the 87-63 final.

"Well it was a good game for about 26 minutes," head coach Russell Turner noted. "We'll focus on a lot of positives I think from this performance. Max really got rolling at one point."
 
Hazzard's hot-shooting second half gave him 18 points for the game to lead UCI who had three players in double figures including 13 from John Edgar Jr. to tie his career high.

"He's shooting the ball great, and that's got to be something that makes everybody better, but I'm proud of Max. This was a really big moment for Max, a tough moment to come here and play, and he did it, to his credit, and its something I believe a lot of our guys are capable of."

Hazzard put on a show in front of a throng of family members returning to the arena that his grandfather, Walt, lit up years before.

"I think our performance to begin the second half was especially good so we'll find good things to take from this game, but we'll also be disappointed that we let it get away. My message to the team was that we have to be able to respond when something goes against us like that, and we need to pick each other up."
 
UCLA leaned on its starting five who each scored in double figures led by Aaron Holiday's seven assists in 36 minutes and Prince Ali putting up 21 points stepping in in a starting role for the injured Jaylen Hands.
 
UC Irvine's long road run finally comes to a close Sunday night after playing seven of its first eight games away from home. The 'Eaters will head out on another five-game road trip after returning to the Bren Events Center for a pair of home tilts this week starting Wednesday, Nov. 29 with a 7:00 p.m. matchup with D-III school Whittier ahead of a Nevada squad Saturday, Dec. 2 whose earned some national attention.