IRVINE, Calif. - It came down to the final minute of the game with the UC Irvine men's basketball team falling just short in a 67-64 Big West conference loss at Bren Events Center Thursday evening.
 
Trailing by three points, 63-60, with just under two minutes left in regulation, Tommy Rutherford made a layup to bring the Anteaters within one, 63-62, but the Titans made four late free throws to seal the win.
 
UCI (6-13, 1-2) surrendered a seven-point halftime lead as CSF came from behind to earn its third straight Big West victory. The Titans improve to 3-0 in the conference and 10-5 overall.
 
CSF jumped out to a 9-0 lead as UCI could not get things going offense until an-Evan Leonard layup kick started a 16-point run for the Anteaters, giving the hosts a first half advantage they would not relinquish. Two made free throws from CSF's Jackson Rowe made it a three-point game, 24-21, with 3:55 remaining but Leonard netted a layup followed by a three-pointer to give UCI a 35-28 lead heading to the locker rooms. 
 
Leonard went a perfect 2-for-2 behind the arc, notching a game-high 13 points in the half.
 
The Anteaters continued to roll gaining their largest advantage of the game, 41-30, early in the second half. The Titans answered outscoring UCI 16-6 to earn their first lead of the game, 53-52, with 9:32 showing on the clock. CSF made six straight free throws to gain a slight edge and held on to secure the victory.

"It really came down to our ballhandling," voiced a frustrated head coach Russell Turner following the loss. "Our guards uncertainty and unwillingness to remain aggressive in the face of the pressure that Fullerton applied. I give Fullerton credit for that, but I'm disappointed, at this stage, that we've lost as many games as we have by being backed off."
 
As a team, UCI shot 44.4 percent (24-54) overall and 50 percent (7-14) from behind the arc. The Titans shot 45.2 percent (19-42) from the floor while both teams grabbed 30 rebounds each. The Anteaters committed 22 fouls while CSF only had 12. UCI held advantages in blocks (3-1), steals (9-6) and assists (13-9).

"We've got to develop confidence and skill to make the plays we need to make. Tonight, we weren't able to do that, Fullerton was, credit to Fullerton."
 
Leonard led all players with 20 points while notching three steals and three assists. Eyassu Worku finished with 14 points and three steals while Tommy Rutherford and Elston Jones had five rebounds apiece.
 
The Titans had four players score in double digits including Jackson Rowe (14 points), Kyle Allman (13), Austen Awosika (11) and Khalil Ahmad (10).
 
The Anteaters will continue conference play on the road when they travel CSUN Saturday, January 13^th. Tip is set for 7:00 p.m.
 
NOTES
It's the second consecutive game Leonard has led the Anteaters in scoring and his third game of the season scoring 20 or more points ... Leonard is shooting .577 (15-26) from the floor over the last two games ... It's the eighth time UCI has led at the half this year...the Anteaters are now 5-3 when leading at the break...Max Hazzard has registered a three-pointer in all but four games this year … UCI has used the same starting lineup (Galloway, Edgar Jr., Rutherford, Leonard, Worku) in the last seven games ... 30 rebounds is a second fewest this season…Only the third time Galloway has not recorded a block this season.