The 2019-20 season ended prematurely, with a chance at a second-straight Big West Tournament title and NCAA appearance still on the table. Despite the unprecedented circumstances in which the season ended, UC Irvine men's basketball still enjoyed a successful regular-season. Here's a look at some of the 2019-20 highlights.
 
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CHAMPIONS AGAIN
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 were the No. 1 seed heading in to the Big West Tournament which was canceled due to the cornonavirus outbreak. UCI was set to face No. 8 Long Beach State in the first round.
 
The 'Eaters were favored to repeat as Big West Tournament Champions and had the chance to repeat as tournament champions for the first time in program history.
 
SUCCESSFUL SENIORS
UCI's senior class of Evan Leonard, Tommy Rutherford, Eyassu Worku and John Edgar Jr. 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 won Big West regular season championships in three-out-of-four seasons together (2017, 2019, 2020).
 
Leonard, Rutherford, Worku and Edgar Jr. played and started together since they were sophomores in 2017-18.
 
Worku, Leonard and Rutherford 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 finished 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 ranks fifth all-time at UCI in assists with 413. He finished as 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 finished 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 ranked 12th nationally in field goal percentage defense, allowing opponents to shoot just 38.8 percent. The Anteaters ranked 11th in the country in total rebounds with 1,269 and 22nd in rebound average (39.66). The team ranked third in rebound margin (9.4) and 18^th in defensive rebounds (28.16).
 
The Anteaters 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 led the 'Eaters in rebounding a team-best 15 times and has 10 games with 10 or more rebounds. Greene led the Big West in rebounds per game (7.7) and total rebounds (246).
 
TEAM EFFORT
Six different players led the Anteaters in scoring this year with Eyassu Worku leading the way on 10 occasions.
 
Collin Welp came off the bench to lead UCI in scoring with 13.0 points per game. Welp averaged 23.4 minutes per game and 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 averaged in double-figures while Brad Greene was right behind with 9.0 ppg.
 
10 different players averaged at least 14 minutes of playing time a game, with no one averaging more than 29.
 
CONFERENCE HONORS
UCI led the Big West with eight all-conference awards won. Head coach Russell Turner earned his fourth Big West Coach of the Year award while Collin Welp earned UCI's second-straight Best Sixth Player award and was also named on the All-Big West first team. Evan Leonard earned first team All-Big West for the first time in his career after finishing as an honorable mention in 2019 and second team in 2018. Eysassu Worku was placed on the second team. Tommy Rutherford earned honorable mention accolades for the second-consecutive year while Brad Greene was named on the honorable mention list for the first time.

THE FUTURE IS BRIGHT
UCI returns its leading scorer, Collin Welp (13.0 ppg), and its leading rebounder, Brad Greene (7.7 rpg).
 
Redshirts JC Butler, Justin Hohn, Emmanuel Tshimanga and Ofure Ujadughele will return to the court for the 2020-2021 season. UC Irvine will also add incoming talent forward Hunter Ruck, guard Andre Henry, guard DJ Davis and guard Dawson Baker.  
 
The Anteaters will look to replace graduates Evan Leonard, Eyassu Worku, John Edgar Jr., and Tommy Rutherford however, in total they return 53 percent of their scoring offense.

SEASON TICKETS
2020-21 season tickets are on sale now! Make a deposit here.
 
SEASON AT A GLANCE
Head Coach: Russell Turner
10th Season (209-139)
 
2019-20 Season
Record: 21-11
Home: 11-2
Away: 8-8
Neutral: 2-2
Non-Conference: 8-8
Big West Record: 13-3
Big West Standings: 1st
Big West Tournament: N/A
 
Team Stats - Big West rank
74.0 PPG – 2nd
65.2 PPG allowed – 2nd
39.66 Rebounds per game - 1st
14.8 Assists per game – 1st
3.7 Blocks per game – 2nd
6.4 Steals per game – 1st
47.3% FG percentage – 1st
38.8% FG% allowed - 1st
35.4% 3pt percentage – 3rd
35.0% 3pt% allowed – 6th
73.9% FT percentage – 3rd
+1.07 Assist-to-Turnover ratio- 3rd
 
Team Leaders
Minutes: Worku – 28.8
Scoring: Welp- 13.0
Points High: Welp - 31
Rebounding: Greene - 7.7
Rebound High: Greene - 21
Assists: Worku – 4.0
Blocks: Greene - 1.4
Steals: Worku - 1.2
FG%: Rutherford - 68.5%
3-pointers: Worku/Leonard - 49
FT%: Krause – 86.4%