The 2020-21 season was unlike any other, with no fans in the stands, a shortened non-conference season and plenty of uncertainty, however, one thing remained the same: an Anteater men's basketball season filled with plenty of success. Here is a look at some of the 2020-21 highlights.

PHOTO GALLERIES

AT THE TOP
For seven-consecutive years, UCI has finished in the top three of the Big West standings, this year was no different as the Anteaters ended the regular-season in second place. As the No. 2 seed, UCI advanced to the championship game of the Big West Tournament for the fourth-consecutive year before falling to 2021 Champion UC Santa Barbara. Entering the championship game, the Anteaters were riding a season-long six game win streak.  

UCI finished 10-4 in the Big West, the ninth-straight season with double-digit conference wins.

Under head coach Russell Turner, UCI experienced its ninth-straight winning season finishing with an 18-9 (.667) overall record.

UCI also went 10-1 at the Bren Events Center this season.

CAREER MILESTONES
Collin Welp became the 31^st Anteater to reach 1,000 career points at CS Fullerton (2/20). The junior currently sits at 1144 points, 26^th all-time. He had a season-high 29 points vs. UC San Diego (Feb. 26)

Welp became the 25^th Anteater to notch 500 career rebounds against UCSD (Feb. 26). He now has 551 boards on his career. He notched a career-high 19 rebounds at LMU Dec. 17.

Brad Greene became the 15^th Anteater in history to reach 600 career rebounds against CSU Bakersfield (Feb. 5). He finished with 694 career boards which puts him at 9th all-time. He had a career-high 20 points in UCI's season-opener against Pepperdine and sits with 797 career points.

On Feb. 27, 2021, Head coach Russell Turner move into fifth place all-time on the Big West's career wins list with 223, surpassing UCSB's Jerry Pimm for the fifth spot. This season, he surpassed LBSU's Dan Monson (216). Turner is one of seven all-time Big West head coaches with 200 or more wins and ends this season with 227 career wins. Turner has averaged 20.6 wins a season over his 11 years at UCI. 

FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH
The 2020-21 Anteaters were the second youngest team (Navy was first with 19 underclassman) in the NCAA with 13 underclassman and just two upperclassman. UCI also tied with Auburn for the least number of upperclassman on the roster (2).

Dawson Baker was named the Big West Freshman of the Year after starting 17 games for UCI and averaging a second-best 10.7 points per game for the 'Eaters. Baker shot 49 percent (101-206) from the field overall and 39.6 percent (21-53) from three-point range.

Freshman DJ Davis also made an immediate impact on the roster, finishing fourth in scoring (9.1 ppg) and second in assists (49). He played in 25 games and averaged 1.0 three-pointer per game.

UCI's underclassman made up 66.1 percent of the scoring offense.
 
POSTSEASON HONORS
Junior Collin Welp was named to the All-District 9 second team by the NABC. He is the first Anteater to earn the recognition since Luke Nelson in 2017. He led the Anteaters with a 15.1 scoring average, and tied for a team-best 7.6 reboudns per game. He topped the Big West with seven double-doubles and led the team in scoring on 16 occasions. Welp also recorded a team-high 33 steals and finished five games scoring 20+ points.

UCI stacked up four Big West conference awards for the 2020-21 season. Brad Greene was named the Big West's Defensive Player of the Year. He continues the tradition of UCI big men recognized for this award as this marks the seventh time in the last nine years an Anteater frontcourt player has won. The list includes Will Davis II (2013), Mamadou Ndiaye (2014 & 2016) and Jonathan Galloway (2017-19). Greene was also named on the All-Big West second team. Collin Welp was named on the first team for the second year in a row.

Dawson Baker was named Big West Freshman of the Year. He is the first Anteater to win the award since Luke Nelson in 2014 and becomes the sixth player in program history joining Nelson, Alex Young (2013), Jerry Green (1999), Kevin Simmons (1995) and Ben McDonald (1981).

During the season, Collin Welp was named the Big West Player of the Week twice while DJ Davis earned the honor one time.

DEFENSIVE DOMINANCE
Under head coach Russ Turner, UCI has been a dominant defensive team, consistently ranking among the top defensive teams in the nation. For nine years straight, UCI has finished nationally as a top 30 team in field goal percentage defense, finishing as high as third in 2013-14 and 2015-16 and 4^th in 2018-19 and 2017-18. For five years straight, UCI has finished in the top 25 nationally in total rebounds. For four years straight, UCI has finished in the top 12 nationally in rebound margin (11^th in 2020-21, 3^rd in 2019-20, 9^th in 2018-19, 10^th in 2017-18).

This season was no different as UCI finished sixth in field goal percentage defense (38.7), 11th in rebound margin (7.7), 21^st in rebounds per game (39.59) and 25^th in total rebounds (1,069).

UCI finished 11-1 when holding opponents to 60 points or less and is 113-7 since 2013-13 when doing so.

Welp and Greene tied for third in the Big West in rebounding (7.6) while Welp topped the league in defensive rebounding (6.52) and Greene was first in offensive rebounding (2,52).

Greene also led the conference in blocked shots (1.93) and finished with a career-high nine blocks against CS Fullerton (2/20)

BRIGHT FUTURE
UCI's leading rebounder (7.6 rpg) and scorer (15.1 ppg), Collin Welp, returns for next season. 

SEASON AT A GLANCE
Head Coach: Russell Turner
11th Season (227-148)
 
2020-21 Season
Record: 18-9
Home: 10-1
Away: 6-6
Neutral: 2-2
Non-Conference: 8-5
Big West Record: 10-4
Big West Standings: 2nd
Big West Tournament: No. 2 seed finished runner-up
 
Team Stats - Big West rank
72.2 PPG – 4th
63.41 PPG allowed – 2nd
39.59 Rebounds per game - 1st
11.8 Assists per game – 7th
4.0 Blocks per game – 1st
7.6 Steals per game – 1st
45.1% FG percentage – 3rd
38.7% FG% allowed - 1st
33.8% 3pt percentage – 7th
32.7% 3pt% allowed – 2nd
75.9% FT percentage – 2nd
.91 Assist-to-Turnover ratio- 6th
 
Team Leaders
Minutes: Welp – 26.1
Scoring: Welp- 15.1
Points High: Welp - 29
Rebounding: Welp/Greene - 7.6
Rebound High: Welp - 19
Assists: Lee – 2.0
Blocks: Greene - 1.9
Steals: Welp - 1.2
FG%: Johnson - 52.5%
3-point fg%: Baker – 39.6%
FT%: Lee – 85.7%