SAN DIEGO, Calif.– DJ Davis's career high 28-point showing led the Anteaters in the 72-69 loss to No. 24/24 San Diego State.

Davis recently set his previous career best 25-points in the victory over New Mexico State en route to the Las Vegas Holiday Classic Invite crown.

The junior guard shot 9-17 from the field, 4-6 from behind the arc in his third 20-point effort this season.
 
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
>Two Anteaters scored double-digits: Davis (28) and Dawson Baker (14)
>Baker shot 6-11 with two from three-point range
>Justin Hohn led the team in assists, recording a season best four
>Forward Dean Keeler added eight points along with a block
>Keeler has recorded at least one block in the last two contests
>The 'Eaters had their best game at the charity stripe, making 12 on 14 attempts (0.857)
>No. 24/24 San Diego State was led by Nathan Mensah with 18 points on 7-11 shooting
 
HEAD COACH RUSSELL TURNER SAID
"It is tough to lose especially when we felt like we were controlling the game late and needed a couple of defensive plays at the end that we didn't make. We came in here with the belief that we could win it and we performed for 37 minutes like we were the better team, so I am pleased with the confirmation that we can do that and follow up to our win against Oregon."
 
FIRST HALF
>No. 24/24 San Diego State capitalized on a three-point play (fast break lay-up and the free throw) to open the game at 19:04 before Dean Keeler would make two free throws at 18:19 to bring UCI back within one, 2-3
>DJ Davis would make his first trey of the night (16:19) on a turnover, but the Aztecs would make a mid-range jumper to tie the game headed into the under 16 break, 5-5
>A layup from Chazz Hutchison kept us within one, 7-8 (14:09)
>SDSU went on a six-point run before Andre Henry scored on a lay-in (11:55), 9-14
>No. 24/24 San Diego State would increase their edge to eight after drawing a foul, 12-20 (8:10)
>Davis would score five straight points for the Anteaters (7:52, 7:21) on jump shots, 17-20
>Devin Tillis made a clutch three-point jump shot off a turnover decrease the Aztec lead, 24-28 (4:08)
>DJ Davis would close out the first period with three made from the stripe to trail by two, 28-30 
 
SECOND HALF
>The Aztecs quickly jumped out to a five-point lead at 18:52, 30-35
>Tillis (17:53) would answer with a floating jumper and then again on at 16:46 on a second chance lay-up, 34-39
>Pierre Crockrell II's jump shot in the paint would keep us within four before Davis (14:28) hit one from distance to make it a one point game, 41-42
>No. 24/24 San Diego State fouled Justin Hohn on his three-point shot attempt, sending him to the line to complete the three-point play to tie the game, 44-44 (13:20)
>Dawson Baker would score the second chance jump shot at 9:25 to keep UCI ahead, 51-49
>SDSU would chip away, but the Anteaters would keep the four-point advantage off of a Davis three-pointer (6:35), Keeler lay-up (5:50), and Baker lay-in (5:14), 60-56
>The Aztecs would reclaim the edge at 3:29 off a pull up jumper, 62-63
>UC Irvine would keep the lead for the remainder of the contest before SDSU hit a clutch trey with two seconds remaining and a shot from the line to win the game, 69-72
 
NOTES 
>DJ Davis has scored a three-pointer in every game this season increasing his streak to 11 contests
>Davis recorded his third consecutive double-digit effort, marking his fifth of the season
>UC Irvine has had two straight games where they have scored over 0.800 from the charity stripe
 
UP NEXT
UC Irvine will play host to Fresno State on Saturday Dec. 3 inside the Bren Events Center with tip-off scheduled for 6 p.m.