IRVINE, Calif. – Guard Justin Hohn sent the game into overtime with four second remaining as UC Irvine held off UC Davis for a 74-71 victory at the Bren Events Center Saturday afternoon. 

Hohn slipped baseline for a reverse layup with four seconds left to tie the game at 62-62 in regulation. After a quick four-point start to the overtime, UCI would not relinquish the lead going 8-8 from the free throw to solidify the win. 

Hohn and center Bent Leuchten led UCI with 14 points each. Hohn went 5-10 from the floor with three assists, while Leuchten was 4-8 from the field, including 6-6 from the line. Additionally, the junior center added nine rebounds and an important block late in the game. 

In total, the Anteaters went 29-33 (.879) from the free throw line and out-rebounded the Aggies 46-30. Redshirt junior Devin Tillis led all players with 10 rebounds, including eight on the defensive end. 

UC Irvine remains undefeated in Big West play, 4-0, and improves to 11-5 overall.   

INSIDE THE NUMBERS
> Guard Andre Henry poured in 12 points and five rebounds, hitting a team-best two three-pointers
> Guard Pierre Crockrell II had eight points and five assists
> Freshmen Derin Saran and Carter Welling pitched in seven and six points, respectively. The duo also each had four rebounds
> C. Welling's perfect 6-6 shooting from the charity stipe is a career best
> UC Davis' Elijah Pepper posted a game-best 26 points followed by Ty Johnson with 20 points
> UCI shot 42 percent from the field (21-50) and UC Davis was 37.7% (26-69) 

FIRST HALF
> Both teams started slowly with the first score of the game coming at 17:44 when Bent Leuchten had a turnaround bank shot, 2-0
> A three-pointer by Andre Henry and a Leuchten dunk extended the Anteater lead to 9-3 forcing a UC Davis timeout at 15:09
> The Aggies heated up and out-scored UCI 14-3 to move in front 17-12 (9:28)
> Four free throws by Leuchten drew UCI within one (17-16), but UC Davis responded with back-to-back three-pointers to move the Aggie lead back to 23-16 at 6:31
> UC Davis led 30-28 at 4:09 before UCI rallied with six straight on a layup and two free throws by Justin Hohn and a layup by Dean Keeler, 30-28 (2:36)
> Following a UCD layup, the Anteaters would have a pair of free throws by Ofure Ujadughele and one by Derin Saran to close out the half trailing 32-31
> UCI went 16-18 from the charity stripe in the first 20 minutes of action 

SECOND HALF
> The two teams traded baskets to start the half then UCI exploded for eight unanswered, 43-34. Andre Henry circled around paint for a layup then Hohn slipped baseline for a layup. Leuchten followed with a layup and the run was capped by a Pierre Crockrell II jumper at 15:55
> The Aggies would stop the Anteater scoring momentarily with a three, but UCI would answer with a Devin Tillis three-pointer, a layup by Saran, a free throw by Dean Keeler and a volleyball set-back by Saran at 11:52 to build a 51-37 advantage
> Following a facility delay, UC Davis would go on an 19-0 run over a 6:33 span to take a 58-55 lead with 3:04 left
> A pair of Hohn free throws and an Aggie layup proceeded a big three-pointer by Henry to tie the game at 60-all (1:21)
> UC Davis saw a jumper by Elijah Pepper with 59 seconds remaining, 62-60. UCI could not convert on the offensive end, but the Aggies fumbled the ball out of bounds giving the Anteaters life with 11 seconds left on the clock
> Crockrell II brought the ball up the right side and dished to Hohn who tied the game with a reverse layup with four ticks to go. A last second Aggie attempt hit off the backboard sending the game into overtime, 62-62 

OVERTIME
> Crockrell II started the scoring with a floater as the shot clock was about to expire then Hohn had a streaking right side layup to give UCI a 66-62 lead (3:53)
> A 5-2 run by UC Davis brought the Aggies within one (68-67) before a Crockrell II steal led to two Henry free throws at 1:13, 70-67
> Leuchten blocked a ball and saved it from going out of bounds with a dish to Henry. The Anteaters would bring it up the court until UC Davis was forced to foul Tillis who made both tries from the stripe, 72-69 (:19)
>Ty Johnson knocked down two free throws on the Aggie end with 14.2 left before Crockrell II drained two on the Anteater end with 11.8 to go, 74-71
> A UCD three was missed and the rebound was batted around and out of bounds with 3.5 left. The Aggies final attempt landed short handing UCI a 74-71 victory. 

NOTES
> UC Irvine improves to 6-0 at home
> UCI controls the Big West standings as they remain undefeated and are the first team to reach four league wins
> This was the Anteaters first overtime victory since Jan. 31, 2019 when UCI defeated UC Santa Barbara at the Thunderdome, 66-62
> UCI won its second game after trailing at the half (2-4)
> UCI improves to 8-4 when Crockrell II dishing out five or more assists in a game
>The Anteaters and Aggies have now played 16 games decided by three points or fewer and seventh decided by exactly three points in the 48^th meeting between the two teams

UP NEXT
The Anteaters will travel to Hawai'i for a 9:00 p.m. PT tip on Thursday from the SimpliFi Arena at Stan Sheriff Center.