Radio: Live broadcasts will be available on KUCI 88.9 FM and ucirvinesports.com. with play-by-play from Trent Rush.

TV: Links to video streams and broadcasts for each game can be found on via ucirvinesports.com Saturday's broadcast will be an ESPN3 streaming broadcast. Big West Tournament will be televised by FOX Sports Prime Ticket (Thursday), ESPNU (tape delay Friday), and ESPN2 (Saturday)
 
3rd - UC Irvine will be playing for its 3rd consecutive Big West title on Saturday. A win will assure it at least a share of the title, its fourth in the last five years. The 'Eaters also shared the title in the 2015-16 season

19 - After hardly seeing the same starting five through the season's first 12 contests, UCI has now gone 19 straight games with the same starting five of John Edgar Jr. Jonathan Galloway, Evan Leonard, Eyassu Worku, and Tommy Rutherford

1st - The 'Eaters stand 1st in the NCAA in rebounds clear of Michigan State by 12 at 1,286. UCI ranks 4th in rebounds per game, 9th in rebounding margin, 5th in defensive boards per game, and 34th in offensive rebounds per game

38.6 - The Anteaters are 4th in the nation, behind Michigan State, Cincinnati, and Virginia, allowing opponents to shoot 38.6% from the field on the year, and the defense has kept its opponents FG% under 36% in each of the
last seven contests
 
The Anteaters enter the week in sole possession of first place in the Big West. The team was projected to finish in the first from the preseason Big West coaches poll. The team also stands 16-15 on the season, the first time since November 14 it has had a record above .500

UC Irvine and UC Davis began Big West play against each other with the Aggies taking a 64-53 victory at home. The two will finish conference play with a meeting this time in the Bren Events Center where its 12-5 all-time against UCD and has won the last two including last year's 30-point victory which decided the Big West regular season title.

Just like last season, the matchup Saturday between UC Irvine and UC Davis will be for the Big West regular season title. One of the schools has won a share of or the outright title in each of the last four seasons. There is one scenario where the schools can share the title with each other. UC Santa Barbara and Cal State Fullerton still remain alive for a piece of the title as well.

T.J. Shorts led the Aggies in the last contest with 22 points making 8 of 9 shots. Since then he's remained consistent even throwing down a triple-double (10pts-10reb-10ast) in a double overtime win over Cal Poly last week to garner Big West Player of the Week accolades. UC Davis has been without Big West Player of the Year candidate Chima Moneke for the last six games after being suspended indefinitely early in the month. The Aggies have rallied since winning four of those six games including the last three and two in overtime.

The Aggies have rolled on despite everything to sit 10-4 and in a tie for second in the standings. Along the way, Davis fell at Cal State Fullerton and Hawai'i on the road in the midst of its 7-2 start to conference. The Aggies had lost their last two home matches to UC Santa Barbara and Cal State Fullerton before dropping UC Riverside by a point. Their final home game comes Thursday against Hawai'i before travelling down to the Bren. The Aggies have provided plenty of drama including a 1-point win in double overtime on a last-second three-pointer from Shorts to defeat LBSU, and followed that up 12 days later with a triple overtime win at Cal Poly, 92-84, to get the team back on the winning track.

The Big West Tournament seeding is still a messy path with the Anteaters able to land anywhere from No. 1 to as low as No. 4:

If the Anteaters win Saturday, they cannot finish lower than second place. UCSB would be the No. 1 seed should they tie with UCI from wins in their final two games. A loss in either of UCSB's final two games this week coupled with a UC Irvine win would give the 'Eaters the No. 1 seed and outright Big West regular season title

If the Anteaters lose Saturday, they cannot finish higher than second place. Even with a UC Davis loss on Thursday, a Saturday win for the Aggies would even them up with UCI and UCD would take the tiebreaker from winning both matchups during the season.

A three-way tie between UC Irvine, UC Santa Barbara (after losing 1 of 2 games this week), and UC Davis (after losing Thursday) would seed UC Davis No. 1, UC Santa Barbara No. 2, and UC Irvine No. 3.

A three-way tie between UC Irvine, UC Santa Barbara, and Cal State Fullerton (after winning both games this week and UC Davis also wins both games giving them the No. 1 seed) would seed UC Santa Barbara No. 2, Cal State Fullerton No. 3, and UC Irvine No. 4

A three-way tie between UC Irvine, UC Davis, and Cal State Fullerton (after UCSB wins both games giving them the No. 1 seed, UC Davis loses on Thursday, and CSF wins both games) would seed Cal State Fullerton No. 2, UC Irvine No. 3, and UC Davis No. 4

A four-way tie between UC Irvine, UC Davis (after losing Thursday), UC Santa Barbara (after losing 1 of 2 games this week), and Cal State Fullerton (after winning both games this week) would seed UC Santa Barbara No. 1, Cal State Fullerton No. 2, UC Davis No. 3, and UC Irvine No. 4

A tie with Cal State Fullerton would give the Anteaters the edge if UC Santa Barbara and UC Davis each win both of their matchups this week and tie atop the Big West standings seeding UC Santa Barbara No. 1, UC Davis No. 2, UC Irvine No. 3, and CSUN No. 4

ANT-ALYTICS
UC Irvine's non-conference schedule ranks as the sixth-toughest in the NCAA equipped with 12 games away from home and six tournament teams from a year ago. The trek covered 11,715 miles with the Anteaters playing games in 10 different states.

CoachStats.net recently came out with the top 25 rankings of coach behind today's best defenses from all three NCAA Divisions, and Russell Turner is ranked No. 1. The list names coaches whose careers go from defensive stops taking into consideration defensive rebounds, fewest fouls, FG% defense, forced turnovers, scoring defense, total blocks and steals, and 3pt FG defense. The team's defense has ascended to the top of the Big West and 49th in the country allowing 66.7 points per game.

Anteater rebounding averages 41.5 per game, 4th in the nation, and has grabbed 1,286 total rebounds, most in the NCAA. UCI's 29.1 defensive rebounds per game is fifth-best in the nation, offensive rebounds stand at 12.4 per game, 34th-best, and ninth-best rebound margin at +8.0.
 
Jonathan Galloway joined the Anteater 600-rebound club, the 14th all-time in program history. He's currently at 649 career rebounds, now 10th in the program's all-time records after surpassing Ricky Butler, Adam Folker, Jerry Maras, and Jeff Von Lutzow with his 11 rebounds at UC Riverside. His 237 rebounds are 89th in the nation. He also picked up his 100th career block earlier in conference play. The team is 49th nationally in blocks with 130 and 64th averaging 4.2 per game

UC Irvine is allowing opponents to shoot just 38.6% on the season, 4th-lowest in the nation. UCI is 1 of 12 programs holding its opponents under 40% shooting trailing schools Michigan State, Cincinnati, and Virginia. UC Irvine's defensive field goal percentage ranked sixth in the nation in 2016-17.

Through 15 conference games, the 'Eaters lead the Big West rebounds per game (41.4), defensive rebounds per game (29.6), rebound margin (+9.7), scoring margin (+9.2), scoring defense (60.1), FG% defense (37.1%), and 3pt defense (27.1%). They're also among the top three in offensive rebounds per game (2nd - 11.8) and free throw percentage (3rd - .740).

Anteater leaders through 15 conference games include:

Evan Leonard now ninth with 15.5 points per game. He's also top 10 in steals (5th - 1.6 SPG), 3pt makes (2nd - 2.3 3PG), FG percentage (8th - 47.5 %), FT percentage (10th - 80.0 %), and 3pt FG percentage (5th - 43.0%).

Eyassu Worku also shows up in steals per game (9th - 1.3), assists per game (6th - 3.7), and assist-to-turnover ratio (8th - +1.6), and also is the 'Eaters' leader in minutes in Big West play ranking 21st with 30.2 minutes per game

Jonathan Galloway ranks top 100 nationally in rebounds (89th - 237). In conference play, he's top 10 in rebounding (2nd - 8.0 RPG), blocks per game (10th - 0.7), defensive rebounds per game (5th - 5.3), and offensive rebounds per game (2nd - 2.7).

Tommy Rutherford's conference play has earned him a top 10 spot in rebounding (7th - 6.3 RPG), defensive rebounds per game (7th - 4.7), blocks (5th - 0.9 per game), and FG% (4th - 56.8%). His overall field goal percentage of 59.3% on the season leads the Big West Conference.

Elston Jones leapt into the rankings as well after his stellar performance vs. CSUN now T8th in blocks per game (0.9) as well as rebounds per game (12th - 5.5), and offensive rebounds per game (5th - 2.1)

RECENT GAME RUNDOWN
Evan Leonard was named Big West Player of the Week according to College Sports Madness

The 'Eaters held 6 of its 7 opponents to under 60 points in the month of February and all seven have shot under 36% from the field

The Anteaters have made 30 of their last 36 from the free throw line shooting over 80% five of its last eight games, and is shooting 77.3% overall in those games raising its conference FT percentage to 74.0 %, third-best.

Evan Leonard scored in double figures for the 25th time this year, most on the team, and ninth game in a row.

UC Santa Barbara was held to 19 points at the half tied for the lowest half UCI has surrendered (UC Riverside) and the first time a team had held UCSB under 20 points in a half all year eclipsing the previous low of 21 points allowed when UC Riverside did it

The 18-point lead at the half was the third-largest this year for UC Irvine against Division I opponents behind the pair of 20-point leads it had against LBSU and UC Riverside

The Gauchos were held to a season-low 49 points in the contest, only the second time even being held under 60 points joining UC Davis the game prior keeping UCSB to 54 points

UC Irvine has led for the entirety of the last two games at Cal Poly and vs. UC Santa Barbara. UCI has led all 40 minutes three times this year vs. Division I opponents adding the win at Cal State Fullerton.

Career highs Saturday night at Cal Poly came in the form of 33 minutes played and 21 points for John Edgar Jr. as he made 9 of 14 shots from the field. Eyassu Worku dished out a career high eight assists, a season high for the team, and gave him 100 for the season marking the eighth consecutive season an Anteater has recorded at least 100 assists.

For the first time this season, four Anteaters played 30+ minutes in a game in the win at UC Riverside including John Edgar Jr.'s 32 minutes that was a new career high.

Evan Leonard recorded five steals at UC Riverside, a new career high, and the most since Alex Young's five he posted in a win at Long Beach State, Jan. 14, 2016.

Elston Jones set a team high this season with six blocks against CSUN eclipsing Brad Greene's total of five vs. Chapman. Jones' previous career high was three set at Utah State. He's also snagged at least five rebounds in 11 of his last 13 contests

UCI allowed CSF to shoot 32.8%, third-lowest percentage given up to a Division I opponent (24.6% to UC Riverside, 29.8% to South Dakota State). The percentage was also CSF's second-lowest in a game and fourth time held under 40% shooting from the field

The win at the Pyramid gave UC Irvine an 11-7 advantage in the Black and Blue Rivalry Series, after nine meetings between the schools over six different sports. Women's basketball posted its first 100-point game since 1979 in a win over LBSU Saturday to boost UCI's lead in the series to 14-7

NEWS & NOTES
Brandon Smith was named to the Continental Tire Las Vegas Invitational All-Tournament Team scoring 18 points, dishing out four assists, and adding a pair of steals over an average of 21.5 minutes in the split against Rider and Northern Arizona.

Under head coach Russell Turner, UCI has won 114 games over the last five years, advancing to the postseason each of those years (2013 CIT, 2014 NIT, 2015 NCAA, 2016 CIT and 2017 NIT).

UCI has recorded five consecutive 20-win seasons, including 21-15 in 2016-17. In the past five seasons, UCI is 114-66 overall and 60-22 in Big West Conference games.

Coach Turner scored his 150th career victory at Cal State Fullerton on Feb. 3 making him the third Anteater head coach in men's basketball to win at least 150 games.

The 'Eaters were 12-4 in Big West play last season, winning those 12 by an average of 18.0 points.

UCI was 11-2 at home last season and enters 2017-18 winners of 37 of its last 44 games (.841) in the Bren Events Center.

UCI has won a conference-best 60 Big West games over the last five seasons (60-22, .732).

UCI has won outright, or shared, the Big West regular-season title three of the last four years, including the last two.

The Anteaters were picked to finish first in the Big West Preseason Poll garnering 14 of the 26 first-place votes, however, no 'Eaters were represented on media Preseason All-Big West squad.

College Sports Madness named three Anteaters to its Preseason All-Conference squad including Tommy Rutherford, Eyassu Worku, and Jonathan Galloway. Russell Turner was also mentioned as Preseason Coach of the Year for the publication.

The Anteaters ranked sixth in the nation last season in field-goal percentage defense at .383. The Anteaters were 17^th in rebound margin (6.7) and 29^th in scoring defense (64.8).

The 'Eaters have blocked 744 shots over the past four seasons for an average of 5.2 per game.  UCI returns three of its top four shot-blockers from last season.

The 'Eaters have won 72 of their last 77 games when holding the opposition to 60 points or less.

Entering the season, UCI was 71-9 in its last 80 games when limiting the opposition to under 40-percent shooting from the field.

UCI had a tough non-conference schedule featuring six teams that saw action in the NCAA Tournament last season. The ledger clocks in as the 11th-toughest in college basketball this season.