IRVINE, Calif. -- RV UC Irvine returns to the Bren Events Center this Thursday Dec. 5 to take on Cal State Bakersfield in the Big West's Bold Week to kick off the conference slate.

Cal State Bakersfield at RV UC Irvine
Thursday, Dec. 5 | 7:00 p.m. PT
Bren Events Center | Irvine, Calif.
AM 830 | KUCI 88.9 | Live Stats | Watch (ESPN+) | Tickets | UC Irvine Game Notes | Cal State Bakersfield Game Notes 

ABOUT CAL STATE BAKERSFIELD
> Cal State Bakersfield enters the first Big West contest of the season with a 4-4 overall record
> The Roadrunners faced Southern Utah in their last outing (Nov. 30) where they dropped 74-64 in Cedar City, Utah
> CSUB has not won a contest away from their home floor this season (0-3)
> After their meeting with UC Irvine, the 'Runners head down to UC San Diego (Dec. 7)
> Cal State Bakersfield has pulled out good wins over North Dakota State (86-81) and their Valley rival Fresno State (74-56)
> The Roadrunners have three players scoring in double figures so far into the 2024-25 season
> Both Corey Stephenson and Jemel Jones are averaging 16.1 points per game
> Stephenson leads the squad in field goal percentage with a 0.588 mark (47-80) and is a team leader off the glass with 5.0 grabs per game
> Jones throws up the most field goal attempts out of any 'Runner connecting 50 of his 102 attempts (0.490) while also making it to the free throw line out of any CSUB player (25-31, 0.806)
> Marvin McGhee III rounds out the double digit scoring at 11.9 points per game
> McGhee III along with his brother Marvin McGhee IV are strong from distance as they are the only two players on the team who have knocked down 10+ three-pointers on the season, 15-58 and 12-21, respectively
> Fidelis Okereke is the top rebounder on Cal State Bakersfield with 5.1 boards per game (41 total) and has blocked 14 total shots
> Kadar Waller is strong up top with team bests in assists  (18) and steals (14)
> Ten of Cal State Bakersfield's 13 players who have seen action this season have started in at least one contest
> The Roadrunners were selected to finish ninth in the Big West this season

GAINING NATIONAL ATTENTION
After three wins in Canada at the Western Slam MTE and moving to 8-0 on the season. UC Irvine received votes in both the AP and USA Today Coaches Polls. The Anteaters earned two votes in the AP publication and one vote in USA Today's ballot.

POLL POSITION
UC Irvine moved up to two spots in the CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Poll to become the new No. 1 ranked team. UCI collected 19 first-place votes which was followed by Gonzaga (7-1) with 11 points and Saint Mary's (7-1) with one. It is the first time in program history that UC Irvine has ever sat atop the rankings.

PARTY LIKE IT'S 1981-82
UC Irvine moves to 8-0 on the year with the win over Kent State on Friday evening which marks the program's best start since the 1981-82 season where they won nine straight to open their campaign. It is now the Anteaters best start to a season under the helm of Coach Turner who went 6-0 to kick off the program's NCAA Tournament season in 2018-19. Eight wins are good for the nation's longest win streak.

UCI SHOOTS HIGH VOLUME AT LINE IN 77-71 WIN OVER CSUB (FEB. 17)
UC Irvine went 30-35 from the free throw line on the way to a 77-71 victory over Cal State Bakersfield at the Bren Events Center on Saturday evening. The Anteaters had a season-best 30 made and 35 attempted from the line led by center Bent Leuchten and forward Ofure Ujadughele each going 6-6. Three other UCI players had a perfect mark from the charity stripe: Dean Keeler (4-4), Devin Tillis (3-3), and Derin Saran (2-2). Leuchten led the way with 14 points, a career best four steals, and tied his season high three blocks. Guard Andre Henry followed with 13 points including a game best two three-pointers. Guard Justin Hohn and forward Devin Tillis each had 11 points in the game. Tillis was one rebound shy of a double double (9) and assisted on four baskets.

BATTLE OF THE BOARDS
Two strong rebounding teams in Cal State Bakersfield and UC Irvine go head-to-head on Thursday Dec. 5. The Roadrunners average 38.6 rebounds per game, fourth in the Big West, while the Anteaters are second with their 40.5 average. CSUB is strong off the offensive galss with a league-best 14 grabs per game which also ranks 32nd nationally. UCI tops the conference in defensive rebounds per game (31.8) and that marks stands as the fifth best in the NCAA. 

DEFENSIVE INTENT
UCI holds the nation's 12th best scoring defense in the country holding their opponents to 58.8 points per game. In six of the Anteaters eight games played, they have held their opposition to 60 points or less. For the second time this season, UC Irvine is a on a three-game streak of not allowing 60 or more points in a contest with the lowest versus Kent State (39).

THE BEST THINGS IN LIFE ARE FREE
The Anteaters have been sharp at the free throw line this season with 122 makes in 148 attempts and leads the Big West in free throw percentage (0.824) which is also the nation's third best shooting clip at the line. UC Irvine went a perfect 14-14 at the charity stripe on Nov. 16, their first game where they did not miss a shot at the line since their 11-11 performance at Duquesne (Nov. 29, 2023). UCI shot a season low 6-9 from the charity stripe on Nov. 28 in the win over Kennesaw State.

SHARP SHOOTER
Devin Tillis has sharp vision when he puts the ball up for a shot at any distance on the floor. The forward connects at a hot 74.6 (47-63) percent from the field which stands as the second best clip in the NCAA after the completion of Tuesday Dec. 3 games. Tillis also leads the three-point shooting for the Anteaters at a 68.8 rate (11-16).

1,000-POINT CLUB
Graduate student Justin Hohn etched his name into the UC Irvine record book as the 33rd Anteater to eclipse the 1,000-point mark. The guard reached this milestone in the victory over Towson (Nov. 30) and has 1,003 career tallies. Hohn begins his ascent in the ranks and is 15 points away from surpassing Dawson Baker (2020-23).

CAREER LEADER BOARD WATCH
With 141 made three-pointers in his career, graduate student Justin Hohn ranks 15th in the career made three-pointers leader board and is one three-pointer away from catching Travis Souza (2011-15) and Scott Brooks (1985-87) for 14th with 142. 

WESTERN SLAM CHAMPS! UCI CLAIMS 67-60 WIN OVER TOWSON
Forward Devin Tillis's late game offense powered the Anteaters to a 67-60 win over Towson to close out the Western Slam inside the VisitLethbridge.com Arena. Tillis poured in 13 second half points, the most of any player, and knocked down two pairs of free throws in the final 46 seconds of the contest to secure the victory. He finished the game with a career-high 25 points on 75 percent shooting from the field (9-12) and perfect 3-3 and 4-4 marks from three-point range and the line, respectively. The forward was named the Western Slam MVP and to the Western Slam All-Tournament team alongside teammate Bent Leuchten. VonCameron Davis (Kent State), Mekhi Lowery (Towson), and Simeon Cottle (Kennesaw State) round out the All-Tournament honorees. UC Irvine leaves Canada with three wins behind strong defensive performances as the Anteaters held their opposition to 60 points or less in each of the contests. UCI improves to 8-0 on the year and are one of six teams who hold the nation's longest win streak.

THIS JUST-IN!
Justin Hohn is a UC Irvine squad leader with 86 total points and 10.8 points per game scoring. The graduate student has 45 double figure scoring games in his career, the most of any player on the Anteater squad, Hohn reached 1,000 career points in his nine-point outing versus Towson. The guard leads the Anteaters in both assists (31) and steals (11).

DOUBLE TROUBLE
Devin Tillis is a threat both on offense and defense for the Anteaters. The forward coverts at a high rate from the floor (47-63, 0.746) and has six double digit scoring games on the season. Additionally, Tillis is second on the squad in rebounds with 66 total (8.3 rpg). Tillis also leads all Anteaters with eight career double-doubles posting back-to-back double figure efforts against Pepperdine (25 pts., 11 rebs.) and at Weber State (15 pts., 11 rebs.).

THE ANDRE SPECIAL
Andre Henry has helped the Anteaters get it done on both ends of the court this season. From the field, Henry is shooting at a high percentage, 26-64 (0.406) and is a top shooter at the free throw line with his 11 makes (11-12, 0.917). The graduate student has stolen the ball from opponents 11 times.

THE GERMAN PAINTER
Bent Leuchten dominates at the post or in the paint whether it is scoring baskets or grabbing the ball off the glass. The center is the team's leader off the glass, averaging 9.0 rebounds a game in eight contests played, and helps pace the scoring at 15.4 points per game. Leuchten has posted double-figure scoring games in seven games this year, the latest against Towson (Nov. 30) where he put up 11 points. 

CHE-SANITY
At the top of the formation for the Anteaters, Myles Che helps lead the distribution effort with his 15 total assists. Che adds to the scoring effort with his 7.6 points per game and recorded his first double digit scoring game in an Anteater uniform at Northern Iowa on Nov. 10 with his ten points. The guard is coming off his second double figure scoring effort with 11 points against Pepperdine behind a career best 8-8 (1.000) from the charity stripe. Che dons the number 77, an ode to Jeremy Lin's number 7.

SWAT TEAM
Junior transfer Kyle Evans has registered multiple blocks in back-to-back contests, totaling 12 over eight contests. His 12 swats at the rim rank fourth in the Big West. The forward had a career best performance against the Panthers on Nov. 10 with his first double figure performance with 10 points on 4-6 shooting from the field and matched that with a 10-point game at Weber State (Nov. 22).

PUT IT IN THE PAINT
UCI has outscored their opponents by 70 points when scoring in the paint (UCI 294, Opp. 224). The Anteaters average 36.75 points in the paint per game and have scored 40 or more points in four games so far (Chapman--42, Northern Iowa--48, Weber State--44, Kennesaw State--44).

TEN'S ALL AROUND
Through seven games in the season, Bent Leuchten has scored at least 10 or more points or pulled down at least 10 or more rebounds in each of the eight contests to average a near double-double at 15.4 points and 9.0 rebounds per game. Additionally, Leuchten's career best 15 grabs off the glass against Pepperdine are an Anteater first in the 15-19 rebounds in a game category since Collin Welp pulled down 19 on the road at LMU on Dec. 17, 2020.

OLD RELIABLE
With a veteran team that has won multiple championships in the last few seasons, three UC Irvine veteran starters are averaging double figures. Bent Leuchten leads the way with 15.4, Devin Tillis right behind at 15.0, and Justin Hohn next at 10.8. Andre Henry is fourth on the team in scoring with his 8.5 points per game.

KENPOM LEADERS
Out of 2327 eligible players, Devin Tillis is first in true shooting percentage (84.0), first in effective field goal percentage (82.5), first in three-point percentage (0.667), and 28th in two-point percentage (0.762). Bent Leuchten is 20th in fouls drawn per 40 minutes (7.5). Myles Che joins the duo with his 34th rank in free throw percentage (0.938). Out of 364 teams, UC Irvine ranks second in offensive rebound percentage defense (19.6), second in free throw percentage offense (85.2), sixth in free throw attempt/field goal attempt defense (20.6), seventh in adjusted efficiency defense (93.1), 12th in effective field goal percentage defense (42.1), 13th in two-point percentage defense (41.8), 29th in free throw percentage defense (65.9), 35th in minutes continuity (56.7), and 40th in three-point percentage defense (28.4).

LEADING THE BIG WEST
Several Anteaters sit in the top ten of the Big West individual statistical rankings: rebounding (2nd, 9.0--Leuchten and 3rd, 8.3--Tillis), field goal percentage (1st, 0.746--Tillis), free throw percentage (8th, 0.792--Leuchten), assists (3rd, 3.9--Hohn), assist-turnover ration (6th, 1.1--Hohn), blocks (4th, 1.5--Evans and 7th, 1.1--Leuchten), and steals (10th, 1.4--Hohn).

NATIONAL STATISTICS THROUGH 12.3.24
UC Irvine is ranked top 50 nationally in free throw percentage (3rd--82.4), defensive rebounds per game (5th--31.75), field goal percentage defense (12th--36.6), scoring defense (12th--58.8), rebound margin (15th--10.3), scoring margin (43rd--15.6), and rebounds per game (46th--40.50).

NET WORTH
The first NET ranking of the season was released on Monday Dec. 2. The 'Eaters are the highest ranked and only Big West team within the top-50 sitting at 29. UC Irvine opened the NET rankings with a program-best mark of 24 which is the second-best rank in California behind UCLA (16). Four other Big West teams land within the top 100: CSUN (73), UC San Diego (78), UC Santa Barbara (83), and Cal Poly (84).