FOLLOW THE ANTEATERS
UC Irvine (6-5) vs. Kent State (8-1)
Monday, Dec. 16 |4:00 p.m. PT
Don Haskins Center (12,000)| El Paso, Texas
KUCI Radio | Live Stats
 
UC Irvine vs. NC A&T/UTEP
Tuesday, Dec. 17 | 4 p.m./6 p.m. PT
Don Haskins Center (12,000) | El Paso, Texas
KUCI Radio | Live Stats 
 
UC Irvine at Illinois-Chicago
Friday, Dec. 20 | 5:00 p.m. PT
Credit Union 1 Arena (8,000) | Chicago, Ill.
AM830/KUCI Radio | Live Stats | ESPN3

Game Notes
 
UC Irvine goes back on the road to compete in the Don Haskins Sun Bowl Invitational Dec. 16-17 in El Paso, Texas before concluding the week in Chicago with a game against Illinois-Chicago. The Anteaters play Kent State Monday at 4 p.m. PT and play again on Tuesday, Dec. 17 at 4 p.m. or 6 p.m. PT against either NC A&T or UTEP.
 
With a win Monday … Head coach Russell Turner would reach his 195th career win … The 'Eaters would win its first ever game against Kent St. … UCI would return to the Sun Bowl Tournament Championship Game for the second time, first since 2015

OPENING TIPS
> The Anteaters improved to 6-5 on the season after a dominating 120-63 win over Pacific Union on Saturday.
 
> UCI  has won three of its last four games by margins of more than 20+ points including a 57 point win over Pacific Union
 
> UCI is 13-5 in neutral site games over the last three seasons. The 'Eaters played in the MGM Resorts Main Event in November and finished with a 1-1 record
 
Career Milestones
> Senior Evan Leonard became the 28^th player in school history to accumulate 1,000 career points after scoring 15 against CBU on Saturday. The effort pushed Leonard to 1,007 career points. He is 5^th in the Big West in active career points and leads the conference in career steals (114)
 
> Senior guard Eyassu Worku became the 29th Anteater to reach 1,000 career points after scoring 10 against Pacific Union. Worku became the 10th Anteaters in school history to eclipse 300 assists. He did so at Colorado Monday, Nov. 18 after dishing out three assists and has 306 on the season. He is the Big West's active career leader in assists (330)
 
> Senior Tommy Rutherford will be next in line to hit the 1,000 point mark. He has 944 points on his career
 
> UCI has outscored opponents 410-178 in the paint this season. UCI has held the advantage in paint points in 10-out-of-11 nine games so far
 
> RS sophomore Collin Welp comes off the bench and leads UCI in scoring (14.2 ppg) and rebounding (6.5 rpg)
 
> UCI has out-rebounded all but one of its opponents this season. The Anteaters rank second nationally in rebounding margin (+12.7) and 15th in total rebounds (459)
 
> UCI is 12^th nationally in field goal percentage defense, holding teams to 36.4% shooting from the field
 
> Head Coach Russell Turner is four wins away from becoming UCI's all-time winningiest coach, surpassing Pat Douglass (197 wins)

BREN EVENTS CENTER RECORD FALLS IN WIN OVER PACIFIC UNION
> UCI set a new Bren Events Center scoring 120 points against Pacific Union Saturday
> UCI shot 66.2 percent from the floor and dished out a season-high 28 assists
> Austin Johnson and Tommy Rutherford both hi career-high marks with 22 and 21 points, respectively
> Eyassu Worku finished with 10 points to eclipse 1,000 career points

DON HASKINS SUN BOWL INVITATIONAL
> This marks the third time UCI will play in the Sun Bowl Invitational. The Anteaters won the tournament in 2015 defeating Norfolk State 80-62. Luke Nelson was named the Tournament MVP while Mamadou Nidiaye was selected to the All-Tournament Team
> UCI returned to the Sun Bowl Invite in 2016. The Anteaters fell to Akron 88-80 in the first round before beating UTEP 62-57 in the third place game. Jaron Martin was named on the All-Tournament Team
> If the 'Eaters win Monday, they will play in the championship game against the winner of NC A&T and UTEP at 6 p.m. PT. The consolation game is set for 4 p.m. PT
> NC A&T is 3-7 on the season with a loss to Bradley, 83-52, in its last game
> UTEP enters the week with a 6-1 record coming off a win against Arkansas- Pine Bluff. The Miners only loss was against New Mexico St. 59-56, however, UTEP also earned a win against NM State earlier in the season, 66-63

ABOUT THE GOLDEN FLASHES
> Kent State is 8-1 on the season with its only loss coming against Ohio State, 71-52. The Flashes defeated Cleveland State 81-59 in their last game on Dec. 7 and are currently riding a three-game win streak
> Kent State has five players averaging double-digit points including leading scorer Antonio Williams (14.0 ppg). Danny Pippen (13.7 ppg), Anthony Roberts (13.3), Troy Simons (12.3) and Phillip Whittington (10.4) also average double-digit scoring. The Flashes leading rebounder is Pippen at 7.1 rpg
> The Flashes average 79.9 points per game and are holding opponents to 64 ppg and 37.6 percent shooting from the field
> UCI and Kent State have only met once on Nov. 25 2001 as the Flashes won a 75-64 decision at the University Hoops Classic
> Head coach Rob Senderoff is in his ninth season at the helm and is the Flashes all-time winningest coach with 169 wins

ABOUT THE FLAMES
> UIC is 4-7 on the season with a loss to DePaul last Saturday, 86-65
> The Flames will play at Illinois State Wed. Dec. 18 before meeting the 'Eaters on Friday
> This will be the third meeting all-time between Illinois-Chicago and UCI. The series is tied, 1-1. The two teams last met in 2003 on Nov. 15 at the Dell BCA Classic. The Flames won the meeting 77-65
> UIC is led in scoring by Tarkus Ferguson (13.8 ppg) while Marcus Ottey averages 12.0 ppg. Godwin Boahen and Michael Diggins also average double-digit scoring with 11.4 and 10.8 ppg, respectively
> The Flames allow opponents to score 73.9 ppg while only averaging 65 ppg
> UIC's head coach Steve McClain is in his fifth season at the helm with a 61-81 record. Overall, his head coaching record is 200-212

UP NEXT
> UCI will round out 2019 and the decade at home with a game against Pacific Saturday, Dec. 28 at 7 p.m.