The excitement is building as it is Big West Tournament time. UCI has completed another successful regular season, but the Anteaters are #StillHungry.

Here is a look back on some highlights from the regular season and some things to keep an eye out as UCI begins its tournament run.

MAGIC IN MARCH
UCI claimed the Big West regular season title for the fifth time in the last seven years and seventh time in program history. It was also the first time ever the Anteaters won back-to-back outright regular season titles. The last time a Big West team won two-consecutive regular season championships outright was LBSU in 2010-11.

The Anteaters are the No. 1 seed heading in to the Big West Tournament which will be held March 12-14 at the Honda Center. UCI will face No. 8 Long Beach State Thursday in the first round at 6:00 p.m.

The 'Eaters have the opportunity to repeat as Big West Tournament Champions for the first time in program history. UCI won the BWT in 2019 by 28 points, the largest margin of victory in Big West Tournament championship game history, with a 92-64 victory over Cal State Fullerton.  The Anteaters have reached the Big West Tournament final eight times, including five of the last seven seasons.

UCI will look to advance to its second-straight and third overall NCAA Tournament. In 2019, the 13^th-seeded Anteaters made history winning their first ever NCAA Tournament game after upsetting fourth-seeded Kansas State, 70-64.

SUCCESSFUL SENIORS
UCI's senior class of Evan Leonard, Tommy Rutherford, Eyassu Worku and John Edgar Jr. have won 91 games, producing a 91-49 overall record together and a 51-13 mark in the Big West over the last four seasons.

The class has won Big West regular season championships in three-out-of-four seasons together (2017, 2019, 2020).

Leonard, Rutherford, Worku and Edgar Jr. have played and started together since they were sophomores in 2017-18.

Worku, Leonard and Rutherford have all eclipsed 1,000 career points, marking the first time in program history that three players in the same class have amassed 1,000 points.

CAREER MILESTONES
Several career milestones were set during the season including head coach Russell Turner becoming the winningest coach in UCI history. Turner surpassed Pat Douglass (197 wins) on Jan. 15 against Cal State Fullerton and did so in 55 fewer games than Douglass. 10 days later (Jan. 25), Turner reached 200 career wins becoming the seventh coach in Big West history to do so and the 8^th coach ever to reach 100 Big West wins. He now sits second in the Big West in active career wins with 209, two wins behind 13^th-year Long Beach State head coach Dan Monson (211).

Senior Evan Leonard became the 28^th player in school history to accumulate 1,000 career points after scoring 15 against CBU (Dec. 7). He is 6^th in the Big West in active career points (1285) and first in career steals (143). Leonard ranks sixth all-time at UCI in steals and three-point field goals made (191).

Senior guard Eyassu Worku became the 29th Anteater to reach 1,000 career points after scoring 10 against Pacific Union (Dec. 14). Worku became the 10th Anteaters in school history to eclipse 300 assists and now ranks fifth all-time at UCI in assists with 413. He is the Big West's second active career leader in assists and 7^th in scoring (1273 points).

Senior Tommy Rutherford became the 30th Anteater to hit the 1,000 point mark against CS Fullerton (Jan. 15). Rutherford eclipsed the 600 rebound mark against Pacific (Dec. 28) and is second in the Big West in active rebounds (685). He is the 13^th Anteater to score 1,000 career points and grab 600 rebounds. Rutherford cracked into UCI's top-10 all-time rebounds list on Jan. 19.

DEFENSIVE DOMINANCE
UCI is ranked 12th nationally in field goal percentage defense, allowing opponents to shoot just 38.8 percent. The Anteaters are ranked 11th in the country in total rebounds with 1,269 and 22nd in rebound average (39.66). The team ranks third in rebound margin (9.4) and 18^th in defensive rebounds (28.16).

The Anteaters have held opposing teams under 60 points eight times this season, including five times in Big West play.
 
Brad Greene set a new Bren Events Center record against Hawai'i (Jan. 11) when he pulled down 21 rebounds. It was the ninth time in UCI history an Anteater grabbed 20+ boards. Greene has led the 'Eaters in rebounding a team-best 15 times and has 10 games with 10 or more rebounds. Greene leads the Big West in rebounds per game (7.7) and total rebounds (246).
 
TEAM EFFORT
Six different players have led the Anteaters in scoring this year with Eyassu Worku leading the way on 10 occasions.

Collin Welp comes off the bench and leads UCI in scoring with 13.0 points per game. Welp is averaging just 23.4 minutes per game and has topped the squad in scoring on nine occasions.

Along with Welp, Evan Leonard (12.4 ppg), Eyassu Worku (12.3 ppg) and Tommy Rutherford (10.1 ppg) all average in double-figures while Brad Greene is right behind with 9.0 ppg.

10 different players average at least 14 minutes of playing time a game, with no one averaging more than 29.

Over its last five games, UCI has had a different leading scorer four times.