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UC Irvine Anteaters (6-7, 1-3) vs. CSU Bakersfield Roadrunners (6-7, 1-3)
Thursday, January 27 - 7:00 p.m.
Bren Events Center (5,000) - Irvine, Calif.

KUCI Radio | Live Stats | ESPN+ | Notes | Tickets

UC Irvine Anteaters (6-7, 1-3) vs. Cal Poly Mustangs (4-12, 1-4)
Saturday, January 29 - 6:00 p.m.
Bren Events Center (5,000) - Irvine, Calif.

AM 830 KLAA Radio | KUCI Radio | Live Stats | ESPN+ | Notes | Tickets

The 'Eaters look to turn things around with a pair of home matchups with CSU Bakersfield and Cal Poly

Storylines
· The Anteaters fell twice last week starting at home to Cal State Fullerton by two and in the Black & Blue Rivalry Series at Long Beach State Saturday by six. It's the first three-game losing streak for UCI since November of 2019, and it's the second three-game losing streak in Big West play in the last 10 years; the other in 2017 losing consecutively to Cal Poly, at UC Davis, and at LBSU.
· Collin Welp continues to climb the Anteater record books. He surpassed his coach, Alex Young, Saturday at LBSU with 20 points. He's now alone in 10th in program history with 1,344 points after beginning the year 26th in UCI history. Next on the list 40 points ahead of Welp is Will Davis II in ninth. Welp is rising up the rebound records as well now with 634. He's ascended to 13th all-time in UCI history after starting the season 23rd. He's got a little ways to the next spot with Ben McDonald 36 rebounds ahead in 12th.
· Welp added his second double-double of the season with 20 points and a season-high 11 rebounds Saturday. His other came at Santa Clara scoring 17 with 10 rebounds. 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 12 of 13 games. UCI has had three with double digits in six games this year including Saturday at Long Beach State, and four in double digits vs. La Verne.
· High scorers have come from six different Anteaters in their 13 games and led by Welp seven times while five different players have led the team in rebounding led by Austin Johnson five 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 60.4 points per game, 17th 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, 10th nationally, and ninth in the NCAA in three-point defense. Elsewhere, they allow the 11th-fewest turnovers, and commit the ninth-fewest fouls in the nation.
· Austin Johnson has been a prolific shot blocker with 32 this season and ranking 31st nationally with 2.46 per game, both numbers leading the conference. He also put down 16 points at UC Riverside for his highest career total against a Division I opponent. Three of his eight career double-digit point games have come in his last six games with two in Big West matchups.
· Fall 2021 Dean's List was announced with 112 UCI student-athletes recognized with GPAs over 3.50. Collin Welp, Bent Leuchten, and Emmanuel Tshimanga made the list for men's basketball.
· 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 last week, and so far in five games is averaging 3.2 PPG, 3.4 RPG, and 1.6 BPG

 
 

The 2021-22 Anteaters
· Collin Welp has earned Big West Player of the Week twice. He has four at UCI and both this season for UCI. The first coming November 29 featured a performance at Santa Clara where he had a double-double with 17 points and 10 rebounds. He claimed a second January 10 following his second career 30-point game at UC Riverside scoring 25 in the second half. He 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.
· 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.
· 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.
·  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.
· 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. A third was added, Saturday, January 20 at LBSU, after a cancelation.
· 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.
· 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. CSU Bakersfield
· CSU Bakersfield is back for a second season in the Big West. The Runners were 15-11 in their first season and a 9-7 mark in the Big West falling in the Big West Tournament First Round as the 5-seed. CSUB is 6-7 so far in 2021-22 with Division I wins at Boise State, vs. Idaho, and vs. Dartmouth. The Runners have one win in four Big West matchups dropping Cal Poly by 13 along with losses to Cal State Fullerton, UC Riverside, and Hawai'i all by less than six points.
· UCI and CSUB split their matchups in 2020-21 both played in the Bren where Thursday's will be, and CSUB took the most recent one. All-time, UCI is 5-3 in their eight meetings including 4-2 in the Bren and 2-1 under coach Turner.
· CSU Bakersfield excels in holding onto the ball forcing the most turnovers in the conference at 15.38 per game and the Big West-best +3.3 turnover margin. They fall at the bottom of the NCAA in threes made and attempted, least assists, and commit 20.9 fouls a game, last in the Big West. Justin McCall is the only Runner with more than 10+ points per game flanked by 5.9 RPG from Justin Edler-Davis and 28 assists and 18 steals from Kaleb Higgins.

Saturday vs. Cal Poly
· Cal Poly enters the week at 4-12 on the year which includes four 1-point losses and wins  over Division I squads Idaho and Portland State. After three Big West cancelations, they are 1-3 defeating UC Davis at home and losses to UCR, CSUB, and Hawai'i. The Mustangs were selected to finish ninth in the preseason Big West poll.
· All-time, the Anteaters have had the Mustangs' number with 39 wins in 61 matchups especially recently with wins in 18 of the last 19 matchups and four straight in the Bren. Coach Turner is 19-6 against Cal Poly with the 'Eaters winning both meetings in 2021 in the Bren and a third in the Big West First Round matchup.
· The Mustangs fall in the bottom half nationally in most categories, notably in scoring at 61.7 points per game and threes made and attempted per game. The defense drives CP with the conference's third-best field goal defense allowing 41.1% per game. Alimamy Koroma leads the way with 13.4 points per game along with 11 blocks. Jacob Davison also adds 11.9 PPG, and Trevon Taylor tops the Mustangs with 29.6 minutes and 5.3 rebounds per game.