COLLEGE STATION, Texas – Junior guard
Eyassu Worku hit the game-winner with six seconds remaining to lift the UC Irvine men's basketball team to a 74-73 victory over Texas A&M Friday at Reed Arena.
UC Irvine improves to 2-0 overall, its best record to start a season since 2015.The Aggies fall to 1-1 on the season.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
> UCI shot 52.7 percent (29-55) from the field and held the Aggies to just 36.4 percent (24-66)
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Max Hazzard led the 'Eaters with 19 points, matching a career-high five three-pointers
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Robert Cartwright also scored in double-figures tallying a season-best 10 points and had three assists
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Jonathan Galloway grabbed eight rebounds while
Eyassu Worku dished out six assists to go with nine points
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Elston Jones finished with a game-high four blocks, five rebounds and five points. He was also a perfect 3-for-3 behind the free throw line
> 10 different Anteaters scored three or more points
> UCI out-scored Texas A&M 42-31, holding the Aggies to 28.6 percent (10-35) in shooting from the floor during the second half
> The Aggies' Josh Nebo had 15 points and 10 rebounds while Jay Jay Chandler finished with 12 points on 5-10 shooting
> Both teams grabbed 40 rebounds apiece
TURNING POINTS
First Half
> Hazzard made back-to-back three-pointers to give UCI an early 9-7 lead (17:39)
> Another three from Hazzard followed by a jumper from Cartwright put UCI up 20-16 with 11:16 to play in the first half
> Neither team would gain more than a five point advantage until the Aggies went on a 9-2 run down the stretch to take a 33-25 lead with 4:28 to play
> A layup from
Collin Welp followed by a made three from Cartwright brought UCI within five, 37-32, with two minutes remaining but the Aggies scored five quick points to take a 10-point, 42-32, lead into the locker rooms
Second Half
> Texas A&M stretched the lead to 14 points, 46-32 with 18:02 to go
> A layup from Worku jump started a 13-3 run for UCI that brought the game within five, 49-44, with 13:17 to play
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Darrian Traylor made a 3-pointer at 7:26 to make it 63-60
> The Aggies stretched the lead to six, 71-65, with just under four minutes to play before
Elston Jones had three made free throws and a jumper to bring the game within one, 71-70 (2:50)
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Tommy Rutherford scored around the rim with 49 seconds left to play as UCI closed to 73-72
> The Anteaters had the ball out of a timeout with 15 seconds to play, finding
Eyassu Worku who stepped back for the game-winning jumper with six seconds on the clock to seal the 74-73 win
HEAD COACH RUSSELL TURNER ON TONIGHT'S WIN
"I think we have a combination of things that helped us get this win. First, we have excellent depth. We have a lot of guys that can really play and that is a credit to the staff I have and our recruiting. We also have smart players that continue to adjust throughout the game. We got better in the second half and really executed our game plan."
NOTES
>The Anteaters extend their road-winning streak to six games which marks the fifth-longest active road-win streaks in DI
> UCI takes a 2-1 lead over Texas A&M in the all-time series and defeat the Aggies for the first time since 1980
> This was the first win over an SEC school since 2006 when UCI beat South Carolina 67-52
UP NEXT
UCI returns home to play Life Pacific Monday, Nov. 12 at 7 p.m. at the Bren Events Center.
