IRVINE, Calif. -- UC Irvine drops to 6-3 after falling 80-66 to Fresno State inside the Bren Events Center.
Fresno State (2-5) shot 53.3 percent (32-60) from the floor, the best performance from the floor against the Anteaters this season. The Bulldogs snapped a five-game losing streak and move to 2-5 overall.Â
Guard Dawson Baker led UCI with 12 points, going 6-11 from the floor. His 12th point was his 600th of his career.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
>Guard DJ Davis had 11 points, hitting a three-pointer
>This was Davis's fifth double figure game of the season
>Bent Leuchten was a team leader with four rebounds apiece
>Dean Keeler notched a career-high nine points to go with a team-best four rebounds
>Dawson Baker's 12 point showing was his fourth straight game in double figures
>Guards Pierre Crockrell II and Justin Hohn both chipped in for team-high three assists
>Crockrell II tied his season high of steals (2) while Hohn tied his season best in blocks (1)
>Fresno State was led by Isaih Moore with 22 points on 9-14 shooting from the field and a perfect 2-2 behind the arc and at the line
HEAD COACH RUSSELL TURNER SAID
"We were not able to sustain the defensive level and energy that I expect from our program. Our bench was not able to lift us with their spirit, energy, and their impact so that has been a confusing tendency we have shown. I also know there are a lot of other difficult components of life here for our student athletes this week and can distract them from the competitive level, but we were very complacent tonight and I am disappointed in that."
FIRST HALF
>Fresno State would knock down a three-pointer at 19:14 to take a 5-4 lead before UCI rattled off nine in a row on a three-pointer by DJ Davis (18:53), a jumper by Dawson Baker (18:06), a layup by Bent Leuchten (17:31) and a jumper by Baker (16:20), 13-5
>Following four Bulldog points, Justin Hohn fired a three-pointer at 14:57, 16-9
>JC Butler took a bullet pass thru traffic from Hohn (13:32) then pulled up for a jumper at 12:48, 20-14
>Dean Keeler battled for an offensive rebound and put it back up and in (11:30) before Hohn found Andre Henry in the left corner and after calmly waiting for his defender to fly by hit a three, 27-17 (10:54)
>With the Anteaters leading 28-20, Fresno State would out-score score UCI 15-2 to take a 35-30 lead (5:28)
>A Keeler layup and free throw tied the game at 37-37 (3:12)
>Fresno State would out-score UCI 10-4 to end the half with the Bulldogs leading 47-41Â
SECOND HALF
>Leuchten would pass the ball over his shoulder to Pierre Crockrell II who was heading to the basket for the first points of the half (19:33). Crockrell II would also hit a pair of free throws to narrow the margin to 45-47 (17:50)
>The Bulldogs would score the next five to remain in control 52-45 at 15:38
>Another 6-0 run by FSÂ which was capped by a dunk extended their lead to 58-47 at 10:55
>The Anteaters would trail by 15 when Baker scored twice to begin to chip away at the deficit, 59-70 (5:46)
>Eight of the next 10 points would go to Fresno State, 78-61 (1:14)
>With 57 seconds remaining Hohn would hit a three-pointer then UCI would steal the inbound and Baker would come up with the ball and a layup with 52 ticks left, 66-78
>Two Bulldog free throws would close out the game, 80-66Â
NOTES
>It is only the second time this season, UCI has trailed at the half
>Fresno State has won the last four meetings with UCI
>Keeler has had at least one block in the last three games and registered one in six of UCI's nine contests
>Baker recorded his eighth double figure scoring effort of the season and 30th of his career
>For the 12th time in his career, Baker led the team in scoring
>Davis has made at least one three-pointer in his last 12 games played, all nine this season
>This is the third consecutive game where UC Irvine has shot their best from the line, 8-9 (0.889)
UP NEXT
UCI will spend the next two games on the road, beginning at South Dakota on Dec. 10.
