IRVINE, Calif. – UC Irvine had a strong defensive performance, but New Mexico State was able to hold off the Anteaters 65-60 at the Bren Events Center Thursday night.

The Anteaters (5-11) out-rebounded NMSU 44-34, including pulling down 32 on the defensive end. UCI also had nine blocks, led by Jonathan Galloway's four. It is the 11^th time this season Galloway has swatted multiple blocks and is the 15^th straight game he has recorded a block.

UCI shot 38.9 percent (21-54) from the floor, while the Aggies hit 36.1 percent (22-61). Both teams hit four three-pointers.

Eyassu Worku paced UCI with 19 points, one off his career-high. Evan Leonard went 5-9 from the floor and ended with 12 points and three steals. Brad Greene had a team-high eight rebounds and two blocks in 16 minutes of action.

The Aggies, who improved to 12-3 overall, had four players with double-digit scoring. Zach Lofton had a team-high 17 points followed by Sidy N'Dir (13), Eli Chuha (12) and Jemerrio Jones with 10 points and a game-high 14 rebounds.

New Mexico State went on a 14-0 run to build an 18-5 lead at 13:18. Trailing by 12 (20-8), UCI used a basket by Evan Leonard and a free throw and block by Jonathan Galloway which ignited a three-pointer by Eyassu Worku to inch within six at 7:01.
The Aggies' Sidy N'Dir would knock down his own from long range to keep the advantage at 25-19, before the Anteaters had an 8-1 spurt, which included a jumper by Worku, a free throw by Brad Greene, a layup by Elston Jones and was capped by another Worku trey with 18 seconds remaining to send UCI to the locker room trailing by just two (26-24). The Anteaters were strong on the glass early, out-rebounding NMSU 28-18 in the first 20 minutes, including 19 on the defensive side.

A Tommy Rutherford layup at 11:22 stopped a 12-2 Aggie run as New Mexico State jumped out to a 46-37 lead. John Edgar Jr. put in a layup and was fouled then Rutherford took the rebound off the missed free throw and found the hoop to keep the Anteaters hanging around 49-44 at 6:19.

A Worku layup was followed by a pair of Max Hazzard free throw and a streaking layup by Leonard to pull the Anteaters within 54-52 with 3:00 minutes to play. New Mexico State would answer with five straight free throws to move the advantage back to 59-52 with 1:13 remaining. Hazzard would hit three from the stripe (59-55). Zach Lofton would make three of four free throws to extend the margin to seven (62-55) with 49 seconds left. Hazzard hung up around the rim dodging defenders before laying it in with 36 seconds to go, but the Anteaters were forced to foul. UCI wasn't done, after Eli Chuha hit one from the line, Worku knocked down a three-pointer from the left corner with 20 ticks left on the clock 63-60, but that would be UCI's last basket as a Aggie layup with nine seconds left ended the scoring, 65-60.

UCI opens 2018 on the road at UC Davis Jan. 4 before hosting Black & Blue rival Long Beach State Jan. 6 at the Bren Events Center.