IRVINE, Calif. – The UC Irvine offense came alive in the second half on the way to a 66-56 victory over UC Riverside at the Bren Events Center Thursday.

The Anteaters scored just 23 points in the first half, the second fewest of the year, before logging 43 in the final 20 minutes. UCI shot 50 percent (14-28) from the floor, including 4-8 from long distance after halftime.

UCI improves to 11-7 overall and 6-3 in the Big West, stretching their win streak to five. UC Riverside goes to 12-8 on the season and 5-4 in the Big West.

The UCI defense was staunch as usual, holding UCR to 36.7 percent from the field (22-60), while posting 40 rebounds, 29 on the defensive glass and six blocks.

Offensively, Collin Welp, JC Butler and Emmanuel Tshimanga all recorded double-digit scoring to lead UCI.

Welp, recorded his third double-double of the season, totaling a team-best 15 points and 13 rebounds. Following tonight's action, the senior eclipsed 1,400 career points (1,405) and passed Ben MacDonald for 12^th in UCI rebounding with 673.

Butler went 6-9 from the field for 13 points, while Tshimanga was perfect, going 4-4 from the field and 2-2 from the line for a 10-point night.  Both players grabbed six rebounds and had two assists.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS
> Forward Austin Johnson tied his season-high with five blocked shots to go with six points
>Guard Dawson Baker added seven points and guard DJ Davis tallied five points and three assists
>The Anteaters were 16-22 from the line (72.7%) compared to UCR's 6-6
>Dominick Picket topped the Highlanders in scoring with 14 points followed by Callum McRae and Zyon Pullin with 10 each

FIRST HALF
>UC Riverside started with the early 4-0 lead with UCI committing two fouls and three turnovers
>With the Highlanders leading 8-3 (13:57), JC Butler made two baskets and Emmanuel Tshimanga  added a layup to close to 8-7 at 12:18
>Four Highlander turnovers helped UCI as the Anteaters used a Collin Welp driving layup (10:29) and a Ofure Ujadughele free throw (8:49) to tie the score at 10-10
>UC Riverside would score seven straight, the last five by Jhaylon Martinez to move in front 19-12 at 5:14
>UCI answered with layups by Justin Hohn (4:50) and Austin Johnson (3:30) to close within 16-19
>Dawson Baker drove down the paint through traffic and made the layup as time ran out to head to the break trailing 23-25

SECOND HALF
>Welp came out of the locker room and hit his first two shots, the second a three-pointer to give UCI their first lead of the game, 28-25 at 19:17
>Butler followed with a floating jump shot to increase the lead to 30-25 (18:44)
>UCR went on a 9-0 run to regain the lead 34-30 (15:56)
>Out of the 16-minute timeout, a strong offensive rebound and finish by Tshimnaga and a two-pointer by Welp just inside the arc quickly knotted the score at 34-34 (14:46)
>Tshimanga and Butler would take over, with the big man laying it down low twice and Butler driving in twice, the last at 10:49 to give the Anteaters the 42-38 advantage
>A free throw by Bent Leuchten (8:57) was followed by DJ Davis draining a three-pointer from the left side at 8:27 to force a Highlander timeout, 46-38
>A Johnson block from behind led to a Welp long jumper at 5:38, 48-40
>Next possession looked similar with a Johnson block leading to a three from Dawson Baker, 51-40 (4:53)
>A pair of Welp free throws with 1:38 gave UCI a 58-48 lead
>>After a UCR basket, Baker broke free and launched the ball perfectly for a Johnson alley-op with 1:11 to go
>The Highlanders knocked down a three and fouled Isaiah Lee who made both free shots (52-53) with 53 seconds left
>UCR was forced to foul two more times and UCI hit four free throws before a Highlander three-pointer ended the scoring with 14 seconds left for the 66-56 final

NOTES
>UCI's 23 first half points were the second fewest this season behind 21 scored in the first half at Fresno State
>The Anteaters 40 rebounds were the tied for third most this season
>UCI is 7-1 when playing in the Bren Center this season

UP NEXT
UCI's game against UC Davis scheduled for Saturday (Feb. 12) has been canceled due to COVID concerns in the Aggie program.

The Anteaters will travel to UC San Diego Tuesday (Feb. 15) for a 7:00 p.m. game from the RIMAC Arena.