Storylines
· UC Irvine began what was supposed to be a 27-day stretch away from the Bren Events Center after their win over Bethesda December 3. With the cancelations to begin Big West play, UCI returns Thursday to the Bren ending a stretch of 48 days without a home game. Following the postponement vs. Buffalo, UCI played at UC Riverside after a 20-day layoff between contests.
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Collin Welp continues to climb the Anteater record books. He surpassed Michael Hunter Thursday at Hawai'i with 11 points now sitting 12th in program history with 1,309 points. Welp began the season 26th in UCI history. Next on the list are Adam Parada 11 points ahead of Welp and one of his coaches,
Alex Young, 15 points ahead.
· Welp is rising up the rebound records as well now with 619 in his career rising four spots in the game at Hawai'i grabbing eight boards passing Ricky Butler, Adam Folker, Jerry Maras, and Jeff Von Lutzow, and started the season 23rd in program history. He's got a little ways to the next spot with Ben McDonald 51 rebounds ahead in 12th.
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Collin Welp was named one of the Big West All-Big West Players of 2021 according to Hoops HD. Welp was also was 1 of 50 players named to the 2021-22 Lou Henson National Player of the Year award preseason list presented to the top mid-major player annually. UCI has been a staple on Mid-Major Top 25 polls at No. 21 last week and as high as No. 10 in some polls this season.
· The 'Eaters had a tale of two halves Saturday night erasing an 0-9 start to the game and halftime deficit to score its second road win of the season downing UC Riverside, 68-51. UCI shot nearly 60% from the field in the second half fueled by Welp and holding UCR to just 22 second half points.
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Collin Welp named the Big West Player of the Week January 10. The honor was Welp's fourth at UCI and UCI's second in 2021-22 along with his performance at Santa Clara where he had UCI's only double-double with 17 points and 10 rebounds.
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Collin Welp put up 25 second-half points hitting all 10 shots en route to a 30-point night; his second 30-point career game. Welp has made 17 straight free throws after going 8-for-8 from the line. It was his 10th game with 20+ points in his career, second this season joining his 24-point effort at USC. He added a team-high eight rebounds in the game.
· The 'Eaters have had multiple players in double-figures every game this season.
Collin Welp has reached double digits in nine of 10 games. UCI has had three with double digits in five games this year, and four in double digits vs. La Verne.
· High scorers have come from six different Anteaters in their 11 games and led by Welp six times while five different players have led the team in rebounding led by
Austin Johnson four times, and eight different players leading or tied for most assists led by
Justin Hohn four times.
· Nationally, the Anteater defense is among the nation's best. UCI was tops in the NCAA in scoring defense in mid-December settling in at 16th in the NCAA as the conclusion of non-conference play. Entering the week, UCI allows 58.8 points per game, 12th in the nation, which included 51 points allowed at UC Riverside and the lowest-scoring half by an opponent with 22 second half points..
· UCI also ranks high nationally in field goal defense, eight nationally, and 18th in the NCAA in three-point defense. Elsewhere, they allow the 11th-fewest turnovers and commit the fourth-fewest fouls in the nation, and lead the conference in scoring margin at +8.5.
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Austin Johnson has been a prolific shot blocker with 26 this season and ranking 32nd nationally with 2.4 per game with both numbers leading the conference. He also put down 16 points at UC Riverside for his highest career total against a Division I opponent.
· Will Davis II returns to the G-League after being claimed by the South Bay Lakers in late December. The Anteater alum joins his fifth G-League team since becoming a pro in 2015. He made his 2022 debut Thursday in a win over the Rio Grande Valley Vipers scoring two points with six rebounds, two assists, and two blocks in 17 minutes off the bench.
48 -Â Thursday's game in the Bren will be the first for UCI in
48 days. UCI had a 20-day layoff between games from its last non-conference matchup vs. Duquesne and its Big West opener at UC Riverside
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2nd -Â
Collin Welp scored his
2nd Big West Player of the Week honor this year after putting up 25 second-half points against UCR for his second career 30-point game. The 25 points were four off the program record of 29 in a half set by Scott Brooks in 1987 and equaled in 2005 by Ross Schrader
6-0 -Â UC Irvine is
6-0 in its last six games in the Bren dating back to 2020-21. The 'Eaters are also
6-0 in January dating back to its last January loss in the Bren in the 2018-19 season
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7-6 -Â The Black & Blue Rivalry Series returns to the court with the men at LBSU Saturday and the women squaring off in the Bren. UCI leads this year's series
7-6 so far from a women's soccer road win, women's volleyball home win, and higher finish at the women's cross country championships
The 2021-22 Anteaters
· UC Irvine finished 5-4 in non-conference play, the fourth winning record through non-conference play under head coach
Russell Turner with UCI winning the Big West the three previous times.
· Non-conference play featured a spotless home record of 4-0 including impactful wins over Boise State holding them to 50 points and a 34-point victory over Pepperdine.
· UCI's tough road slate sent them to New Mexico State to start the year as well as Fresno State and nearly overtaking an undefeated, 10th-ranked USC squad in the Galen Center. UCI scored one road victory defeating a stout Santa Clara squad with a late-game 14-2 run.
· The 'Eaters played in Akron, Ohio at the LeBron James Arena at St. Vincent/St. Mary's High School taking on Duquesne in a loss. Their road trip of 27 days away from the Bren Events Center was cut short as its trip to Buffalo to end it was postponed due to health and safety protocols.
· UCI had two double-digit rebounding games in non-conference; one from
Collin Welp vs. Santa Clara accounting for the team's only double-double.
Austin Johnson grabbed 12 rebounds the following night, and leads the team with 6.5 per game.
· The Big West announced the Big West Game of the Week that will be televised on Spectrum SportsNet. One matchup will be broadcasted each Saturday at 1:00 p.m. during conference season with UCI featured twice: February 19 vs. Hawai'i and March 5 at CSU Bakersfield.
· Team captains were selected for the 2021-22 season as fifth-year
Collin Welp and third-year
Ofure Ujadughele. Welp is a captain for a second straight year while it's a first for Ujadughele's.
· UCI was selected to finish second in the Big West according to the Coaches Poll. The Anteaters earned four of nine first-place votes finishing one vote behind preseason favorite, UC Santa Barbara. The Preseason Media Poll also selected UCI to finish second, three votes behind UCSB, and with two of the 11 first-place votes. Preseason All-Big West featured
Collin Welp on both the Coaches' and Media teams. He was 1 of 4 players (Maddox—CSF, Manjon—UCD, Sow—UCSB) to appear on both teams.
Dawson Baker earned honorable mention recognition on the media's team.
· The 2020-21 Anteaters had six players recognized on the Big West Winter All-Academic squad. To be eligible, student-athletes must maintain a minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA, complete one full year at their member institution, and compete in at least 50% of their team's contests. Four current members of the team were recognized in
Isaiah Lee,
Collin Welp,
Emmanuel Tshimanga, and
Ofure Ujadughele. That quartet was joined by alums
Jeron Artest and
Brad Greene. That 2020-21 squad also earned Team Academic Excellence Awards and Honors Court from the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC). UC Irvine was the only Big West school to earn the distinction.
Brad Greene was recognized on the Honors Court making it for a second consecutive year.
Thursday vs. Cal State Fullerton
· To start the week, it's Cal State Fullerton that sits atop the Big West with a 3-0 record after being picked to finish seventh preseason. They've claimed wins over Bakersfield, CSUN, and a big one downing UC Santa Barbara at home by six on Saturday. Overall, CSF is 9-5 beating the likes of Pacific, USD, and George Washington while falling to Santa Clara.
· The Anteaters and Titans meet for the 116th time on Thursday with a three-game edge all-time to the 'Eaters. UCI is 28-25 against them at home while coach Turner has won in 18 of 25 matchups since he took over.
· The strength of the Titans is making shots hitting 46.2% from the field, third in the conference, and a Big West-best 74.6% from the line. Senior forward E.J. Anosike is a big reason averaging 18.8 points a game hitting 54.8% of his shots and grabbing a team-high 7.7 rebounds. The senior trio of him, Tray Maddox, Jr., and Damari Milstead all average about 30 minutes a night on the court with seven assists a night between them and all shooting over 75% from the line
Saturday at Long Beach State
· The Black & Blue Rivalry Series returns to the hardwood Saturday at the Pyramid. UCI holds a slim 7-6 lead in this year's series with three more points on the line. The all-time series will be played for the 112th time on Saturday with LBSU on top, 62-49. UCI wins 1/3rd of the time at Long Beach, while coach Turner is 15-11 against them.
· Long Beach State is also in the mix at 2-1 in Big West play despite being picked to finish eighth in the preseason. LBSU hasn't left the Pyramid resulting in a loss to Hawai'I and wins over UC Santa Barbara and CSUN. At 6-9 overall, the Beach has beaten Idaho and Wright State and drawn notable losses to UCLA twice, and at USC by 11 points.
· The Beach will challenge UCI on the glass and with blocks while shooting the most free throws in the Big West despite making just under 70% of them. Joel Murray raises that profile hitting 88% of his FT shots while leading the squad with 15.1 points per game, 38 assists, and 17 steals. Colin Slater adds his 29 threes made with Aboubacar Traore swatting 20 shots and grabbing a team-high 7.3 rebounds a contest.
