ANAHEIM, Calif. – It came down to the final minute as guard Eyassu Worku hit the game-winning jumper with 45 seconds showing on the clock to give UC Irvine a 61-58 victory over UC Santa Barbara in a Big West Tournament semifinal Friday night at the Honda Center.

UCI (18-16) will play Cal State Fullerton (19-11) in an all-Orange County final Saturday night at 9 p.m. The Anteaters and Titans split a pair of contests during the regular season.

"I am proud of my team tonight," head coach Russell Turner said. "The game tonight was very close and was decided in the last few minutes. I thought we showed the same type of resilience and toughness that we have had to show in many conference games this year."

UCI forced a turnover with 3:03 left and John Edgar Jr. converted the layup to give the 'Eaters a lead they would not relinquish. UCSB's Max Heidegger made a free throw to make it a one point game, 59-58, with 2:28 remaining, but a jumper from Worku with 45 ticks on the clock was enough to lift the Anteaters into the championship game.

"In the second half I was proud of our defensive performance. We showed the type of defensive team that we are capable of being," said Turner.

The game saw 13 lead changes and was tied six times as neither team would gain a lead larger than six points throughout the contest.

Max Hazzard led the Anteaters in scoring with 16 points followed by John Edgar Jr. with 14. Worku finished with 12 points on 5-13 shooting from the floor, while Elston Jones notched a career-best 11 points and led UCI in rebounds with nine. The 'Eaters bench out-scored UCSB's 31-1.

UCI shot 40.4 percent (23-57) from the field and held UCSB (23-9) to just 32.1 percent (18-56) overall. The Gauchos held the advantage in three-pointers (7-3), but UCI out-rebounded UCSB 40-38, and forced 11 turnovers.

The Gauchos' Heidegger led all players with 18 points, while Leland King II tallied 12. Jalen Canty pulled down eight rebounds for UCSB and had three blocks.

Hazzard knocked down two three-pointers and led the 'Eaters with 10 points in the first half. UCI was up by five, 27-22, with 5:55 showing on the clock before the Gauchos went on a 15-7 run down the stretch to take a two-point, 37-35, advantage into the locker rooms. 

A jumper from Canty stretched the Gauchos lead to six, 51-45, with 9:29 left to play before UCI went on an 8-1 run to take back the lead, 53-52, with 5:49 showing on the clock. Marcus Jackson made a three-pointer to give UCSB a 57-53 lead at 5:14 before Jones tipped in a Tommy Rutherford shot and Hazzard made two free throws to knot the game at 57 with 3:23 to play.

"We were able to win because our team has great belief in our ability to impact games and get stops when we need them," added Turner.

The UCI defense locked in as the Gauchos missed their last nine shots and 13 of their last 14.

NOTES: UCI advances to the Big West Tournament championship for the second straight year and fourth time in six seasons … It is UCI's seventh trip to the finals overall … The Anteaters are 11-0 this season when holding its opponents under 60 points … UCI improved to  6-1 against the Gauchos in the Big West Tournament … It was the fourth time this season that UCI was down at the half and came back to win the game, one of those times was in last night's quarterfinal against Hawai'i … Max Hazzard led in scoring for the 5th time this season … Elston Jones led in rebounds for the 8th time this season … The win marks the second this season for the Anteaters by less than 5 points … The 'Eaters are 2-3 this season in games decided by one possession … It was the first time this season UCI won a game without its leading scorer, Evan Leonard contributing a single point.


VOTE FOR YOUR PLAYER OF THE GAME - HERE 
1) Max Hazzard
2) Elston Jones 
3) John Edgar Jr.