Tuesday, November 5
San Diego, Calif.
7:00 PM
UC Irvine
at
San Diego
UCI Opens Regular Season at USD, Pepperdine
November 04, 2019 | Men's Basketball
FOLLOW THE ANTEATERS
UC Irvine at San Diego
Tuesday, Nov. 5 |7:00 p.m.
Jenny Craig Pavilion (5,100) | San Diego, Calif.
KUCI Radioย |ย Live Statsย | Watch
UC Irvine at Pepperdine
Saturday, Nov. 9 |5:00 p.m.
Firestone Field House (3,104) | Malibu, Calif.
KUCI Radioย |ย Live Statsย | TV: WCC Network
Game Notes
UC Irvine begins its 2019-20 regular season campaign on the road against two West Coast Conference opponents. The Anteaters play at San Diego Tuesday, Nov. 5 (7 p.m.) before traveling to Malibu to play Pepperdine Saturday, Nov. 9 (5 p.m.).
OPENING TIPS
> The Anteaters are coming off their best season in program history, earning a school record 31 wins. 2018-19 marked UCI's seventh-straight winning season after finishing with a 31-6 (.837) overall record and a 15-1 mark in Big West play
> UCI won 17 straight games, also a school record, before its loss in the NCAA Tournament round of 32 against Oregon. UCI earned its second NCAA Tournament berth after winning its second-ever Big West Tournament Championship
> At the NCAA Tournament, the 13th-seeded Anteaters won the programs first-ever tournament game upsetting fourth-seeded Kansas State, 70-64. With the win, UCI also knocked off its first ranked opponent since beating No. 15 Stanford in 2003
> 2018-19 also marked the first time UCI won both the Big West regular season and tournament and the 'Eaters have the opportunity to repeat as Big West Tournament Champions for the first-time in program history
> UCI has one of the longest active road winning streaks among Division I men's basketball teams. The Anteaters have won nine-straight games on the road and have not lost since Dec. 29, 2018 at Pacific
> UCI and USD match up for the 27th time in program history. The 'Eaters trail the Toreros 12-14 in the all-time series
> The teams last met on Dec. 3, 2011 as UCI earned a 99-79 victory at the Bren Events Center
> USD it coming off back-to-back 20 win seasons and went 21-15 last year making its first-ever appearance in the NIT. The Toreros graduated 72% of its scoring from a year ago and only return four players. USD's 14-man roster has nine freshmen or sophomores
> USD's head coach Sam Scholl is in his second season at the helm with a 23-17 overall record
> This will mark the 23rd meeting between Pepperdine and UCI as the Waves hold a 12-10 advantage in the all-time series
> The two teams last met at the Bren Events Center on Dec. 7, 2013 as UCI fell, 69-75. The 'Eaters have lost three-straight to the Waves with their last win on Dec. 21, 2009 (74-61)
> Pepperdine finished with a 16-18 overall record in 2018-19 and a WCC Tournament semifinal appearance
> Lorenzo Romar enters his 5th overall season at Pepperdine and second straight with a 58-62 record over four seasons
> The Waves return 10 letterwinners and 75% of their scoring including All-WCC first team selection Colbey Ross
With a win Tuesday โฆ UCI would win its season opener for the second-straight year
With a win Saturday โฆ UCI would extend its active road-winning streak to 11 games
EXHIBITION EVALUATION
> UCI passed its first test of the season defeating future Big West Conference opponent UCSD, 80-64
> Four Anteaters recorded double-digit points led by Evan Leonard (15 points)
> UCI shot 50% from three and 49.2 percent from the floor overall (30-61)
> UCI set a new student attendance record (2,308)
NEWS AND NOTES
> Head coachย Russell Turnerย returns for his 10th season at the helm. Turner upped his career win total to 188 becoming the third coach in UCI history to eclipse 150 wins in a career, averaging over 20 wins a season. He trails to Anteater coaching great Pat Douglass (197 career wins) who reached the 150-win plateau in his 10thย season. Turner is on pace to become UCI's all-time winningest coach this season
> UCI plays 14 games at the Bren including three DI non-conference opponents
> Six postseason teams dot the 2019-20 schedule including four 20+ win teams
> The Anteaters were picked to finish first in the Big West Preseason Poll with 258 points. UCI tied UCSB with 15 first-place votes
>ย Evan Leonardย was selected to the six-member preseason all-conference team
> UCI returns four starters and nine letterwinners from last year's championship team including seniors Evan Leonard, Eyassu Worku, Tommy Rutherford and John Edgar Jr.
> The Anteaters have amassed a 76-19 record at home over the last seven yearsย
> The 'Eaters finished fourth in the nation allowing opponents to shoot just 38.2% from the field, ranked sixth in the nation in total rebounds (1,478), 13th in rebound average (39.95) and ninth in rebound margin (7.0).
> in 2018-19 UCI held teams under 50% in field goal percentage in 29 games, had the nation's best two-point defense (opponents shot 40.7%) and were 21st in points allowed (63.1)
> UCI went 14-0 when holding an opponent to 60 points or less and have won 25 straight games dating back to last season when hitting that mark. Since 2012-13, UCI is 93-5 when doing so
> UCI finished with the stingiest scoring defense in the conference allowing 63.6 points per game. UCI also led the conference in rebounding (39.95 rpg) for the sixth time in program history and five in the last six years years
> The Anteaters return three all-conference selections in seniors Evan Leonard, Tommy Rutherford and Eyassu Worku
> Leonard returns as the team's leading scorer averaging 11.3 ppg last season. He is a two time all-conference selection and was named to the Big West All-Tournament Team in 2018-19. Leonard holds the school record with 44 consecutive free throws made and led the team in steals (48) and three-point field goal percentage (41.4) a year ago
> Worku led the team in assists last year (87) averaging 2.9 assists per game. He started 26 games and averaged 7.0 points per game
> Rutherford, a two time all-conference selection, started 32 games last season averaging 6.7 ppg and 4.3 rpg. He led the team in field goal percentage (53.5) and totaled 26 blocks, averaging 16.1 minutes per game
> Sophomore Collin Welp was named to the Big West All-Tournament Team after scoring a career-high 23 points in the championship game. Last season, he came off the bench to finish third on the team in scoring (8.6 ppg) and shot 51.2% from the field. Welp averaged 15.9 minutes per game and 4.3 rebounds per game
> Blue Ribbon College Basketball Yearbook ranked UC Irvine No. 2 in its Big West preseason poll. It also pickedย Evan Leonard to the preseason all-conference team
> UCI added seven newcomers to the roster and will see redshirts Brad Greene, Devin Cole and Aiden Krause back in action
> Greene returns to the court after using his red shirt year last season. In 2017-18, he averaged 4.6 ppg and 3.9 rpg.
> The Anteaters welcome freshman Jeron Artest, Justin Hohn, Ofure Ujadughele, Isaiah Lee, Emmanuel Tshimanga, Austin Johnson and Dean Keeler
UP NEXT
UCI opens the regular season at home against Life Pacific Tuesday, Nov. 12 at 7 p.m.
ย
UC Irvine at San Diego
Tuesday, Nov. 5 |7:00 p.m.
Jenny Craig Pavilion (5,100) | San Diego, Calif.
KUCI Radioย |ย Live Statsย | Watch
UC Irvine at Pepperdine
Saturday, Nov. 9 |5:00 p.m.
Firestone Field House (3,104) | Malibu, Calif.
KUCI Radioย |ย Live Statsย | TV: WCC Network
Game Notes
UC Irvine begins its 2019-20 regular season campaign on the road against two West Coast Conference opponents. The Anteaters play at San Diego Tuesday, Nov. 5 (7 p.m.) before traveling to Malibu to play Pepperdine Saturday, Nov. 9 (5 p.m.).
OPENING TIPS
> The Anteaters are coming off their best season in program history, earning a school record 31 wins. 2018-19 marked UCI's seventh-straight winning season after finishing with a 31-6 (.837) overall record and a 15-1 mark in Big West play
> UCI won 17 straight games, also a school record, before its loss in the NCAA Tournament round of 32 against Oregon. UCI earned its second NCAA Tournament berth after winning its second-ever Big West Tournament Championship
> At the NCAA Tournament, the 13th-seeded Anteaters won the programs first-ever tournament game upsetting fourth-seeded Kansas State, 70-64. With the win, UCI also knocked off its first ranked opponent since beating No. 15 Stanford in 2003
> 2018-19 also marked the first time UCI won both the Big West regular season and tournament and the 'Eaters have the opportunity to repeat as Big West Tournament Champions for the first-time in program history
> UCI has one of the longest active road winning streaks among Division I men's basketball teams. The Anteaters have won nine-straight games on the road and have not lost since Dec. 29, 2018 at Pacific
> UCI and USD match up for the 27th time in program history. The 'Eaters trail the Toreros 12-14 in the all-time series
> The teams last met on Dec. 3, 2011 as UCI earned a 99-79 victory at the Bren Events Center
> USD it coming off back-to-back 20 win seasons and went 21-15 last year making its first-ever appearance in the NIT. The Toreros graduated 72% of its scoring from a year ago and only return four players. USD's 14-man roster has nine freshmen or sophomores
> USD's head coach Sam Scholl is in his second season at the helm with a 23-17 overall record
> This will mark the 23rd meeting between Pepperdine and UCI as the Waves hold a 12-10 advantage in the all-time series
> The two teams last met at the Bren Events Center on Dec. 7, 2013 as UCI fell, 69-75. The 'Eaters have lost three-straight to the Waves with their last win on Dec. 21, 2009 (74-61)
> Pepperdine finished with a 16-18 overall record in 2018-19 and a WCC Tournament semifinal appearance
> Lorenzo Romar enters his 5th overall season at Pepperdine and second straight with a 58-62 record over four seasons
> The Waves return 10 letterwinners and 75% of their scoring including All-WCC first team selection Colbey Ross
With a win Tuesday โฆ UCI would win its season opener for the second-straight year
With a win Saturday โฆ UCI would extend its active road-winning streak to 11 games
EXHIBITION EVALUATION
> UCI passed its first test of the season defeating future Big West Conference opponent UCSD, 80-64
> Four Anteaters recorded double-digit points led by Evan Leonard (15 points)
> UCI shot 50% from three and 49.2 percent from the floor overall (30-61)
> UCI set a new student attendance record (2,308)
NEWS AND NOTES
> Head coachย Russell Turnerย returns for his 10th season at the helm. Turner upped his career win total to 188 becoming the third coach in UCI history to eclipse 150 wins in a career, averaging over 20 wins a season. He trails to Anteater coaching great Pat Douglass (197 career wins) who reached the 150-win plateau in his 10thย season. Turner is on pace to become UCI's all-time winningest coach this season
> UCI plays 14 games at the Bren including three DI non-conference opponents
> Six postseason teams dot the 2019-20 schedule including four 20+ win teams
> The Anteaters were picked to finish first in the Big West Preseason Poll with 258 points. UCI tied UCSB with 15 first-place votes
>ย Evan Leonardย was selected to the six-member preseason all-conference team
> UCI returns four starters and nine letterwinners from last year's championship team including seniors Evan Leonard, Eyassu Worku, Tommy Rutherford and John Edgar Jr.
> The Anteaters have amassed a 76-19 record at home over the last seven yearsย
> The 'Eaters finished fourth in the nation allowing opponents to shoot just 38.2% from the field, ranked sixth in the nation in total rebounds (1,478), 13th in rebound average (39.95) and ninth in rebound margin (7.0).
> in 2018-19 UCI held teams under 50% in field goal percentage in 29 games, had the nation's best two-point defense (opponents shot 40.7%) and were 21st in points allowed (63.1)
> UCI went 14-0 when holding an opponent to 60 points or less and have won 25 straight games dating back to last season when hitting that mark. Since 2012-13, UCI is 93-5 when doing so
> UCI finished with the stingiest scoring defense in the conference allowing 63.6 points per game. UCI also led the conference in rebounding (39.95 rpg) for the sixth time in program history and five in the last six years years
> The Anteaters return three all-conference selections in seniors Evan Leonard, Tommy Rutherford and Eyassu Worku
> Leonard returns as the team's leading scorer averaging 11.3 ppg last season. He is a two time all-conference selection and was named to the Big West All-Tournament Team in 2018-19. Leonard holds the school record with 44 consecutive free throws made and led the team in steals (48) and three-point field goal percentage (41.4) a year ago
> Worku led the team in assists last year (87) averaging 2.9 assists per game. He started 26 games and averaged 7.0 points per game
> Rutherford, a two time all-conference selection, started 32 games last season averaging 6.7 ppg and 4.3 rpg. He led the team in field goal percentage (53.5) and totaled 26 blocks, averaging 16.1 minutes per game
> Sophomore Collin Welp was named to the Big West All-Tournament Team after scoring a career-high 23 points in the championship game. Last season, he came off the bench to finish third on the team in scoring (8.6 ppg) and shot 51.2% from the field. Welp averaged 15.9 minutes per game and 4.3 rebounds per game
> Blue Ribbon College Basketball Yearbook ranked UC Irvine No. 2 in its Big West preseason poll. It also pickedย Evan Leonard to the preseason all-conference team
> UCI added seven newcomers to the roster and will see redshirts Brad Greene, Devin Cole and Aiden Krause back in action
> Greene returns to the court after using his red shirt year last season. In 2017-18, he averaged 4.6 ppg and 3.9 rpg.
> The Anteaters welcome freshman Jeron Artest, Justin Hohn, Ofure Ujadughele, Isaiah Lee, Emmanuel Tshimanga, Austin Johnson and Dean Keeler
UP NEXT
UCI opens the regular season at home against Life Pacific Tuesday, Nov. 12 at 7 p.m.
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