IRVINE, Calif. --- Jaron Martin, Eyassu Worku and Luke Nelson combined for 60 points to lead UC Irvine past UC Riverside, 79-60, at the Bren Events Center Saturday night as the Anteaters gained sole possession of first place in the Big West Conference.
Martin scored a game-high 26 points for his eighth 20-point game of the season as UCI improved to 16-12 overall and 9-3 in the Big West for a one-game lead over second-place UC Davis.
The senior guard hit 10 of 17 field goals, connecting on 6 of 9 threes, and added four assists.
Worku hit all eight of his shots in scoring a career-high 20 points and the freshman guard dished out five assists.
Nelson scored 14 points on 5-of-9 shooting while Ioannis Dimakopoulos added nine points as the Anteaters won for the 11th time in their last 14 games. Brandon Smith led UCI with six rebounds and added two steals.
Brandon Rosser, Alex Larsson, Dikymbe Martin and Koh Flippin scored nine points apiece for the Highlanders (7-17, 5-8).
UC Riverside moved out to a 10-point lead at 15-5 lead nine minutes into the game, but UCI went on a 26-11 run to take a 31-26 halftime lead as Martin's deep three from the left side beat the buzzer.
The 'Eaters opened the second half with a 17-3 run, nine of those points off three triples from Martin, to move ahead 48-29 with 13:46 left.
UCI maintained a twin-digit lead the remainder of the way as the closest the Highlanders would come was 13 points on two occasions.
The Anteaters shot 63.3 percent from the field in the second half and 51.7 percent for the game. UCI hit 11 of 26 threes in the victory and committed a season-low six turnovers.
UC Riverside shot 36.4 percent from the floor in the game as the 'Eaters have won 68 of their last 75 games when limiting the opposition to under 40 percent.
UCI, which has won 35 of its last 42 home games, is 69-3 in its last 72 contests when holding the opponents to 60 points or less.
Coach Russell Turner's Anteaters travel to Cal State Fullerton Wednesday night for a 7:00 Big West game (ESPN3) before hosting CSUN Saturday in UCI's Homecoming game at 7:30, also on ESPN3.
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