IRVINE, Calif. – A trio of UC Irvine guards recorded double figure points in the Anteaters' 81-69 victory over UC Santa Barbara in front of 3,272 fans at the Bren Events Center on Thursday.

The Anteaters improve to 20-7 overall, posting their 14^th 20-win season and ninth under head coach Russell Turner. UCI remains at the top of the Big West standings with their 13-2 record.

Guard Justin Hohn led UCI with 19 points, hitting 5-9 from the field, including two three-pointers, and 7-10 from the free throw line. Hohn also had six rebounds.

Freshman Derin Saran was a perfect 8-8 from the line, a career high, and 4-8 from the floor for 16 points, his 15^th double-figure point performance of the year.

Guard Andre Henry had 15 points, going 6-12 from the floor and 3-5 from the line with six rebounds. 

UCI dominated the glass, out-rebounding UCSB 40-28, including 32 defensive caroms.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS
> Forward Devin Tillis had a team-best eight rebounds to go with seven points and two steals
> Center Bent Leuchten was 2-2 from the field and 3-3 from the line to end with seven points
> Guard Pierre Crockrell II totaled six points and five assists
> Freshman Carter Welling came off the bench to contribute six points and two rebounds
> UCI shot 60 percent in the first half (18-30) and ended the night shooting at a 49.1 clip (27-55)
> The free throw line was important as UCI hit 24-31 (0.774), while the Gauchos were 15-22 (0.714)
> UCI had 27 points from the bench and 19 points on fast breaks compared to UCSB's six
> UC Santa Barbara's Yohan Traore led all players with 22 points, going 7-14 from the field and 8-10 from the line

FIRST HALF
> After UC Santa Barbara started the game with a three-pointer, UC Irvine used a pair of free throws and a two-foot bank by Bent Leuchten, 4-3 (17:55)
> Devin Tillis pulled down a rebound and Pierre Crockrell II pushed it up the right side to find a streaking Justin Hohn who laid it in and was fouled. After an Andre Henry jumper (15:25), Crockrell II fired a no-look pass to Carter Welling for a baseline dunk (14:37), 12-10
> A free throw line jumper by Crockrell II (7:46) was followed by a dagger three in transition on the right side by Hohn, forcing a Gaucho timeout, 29-22 (7:18)
> Out of the break, Tillis tipped in a rebound. Then, after a UCSB basket, he backed-down his defender and spun to the hoop with a left-handed lay-in, 33-24 (5:51)
> Derin Saran knocked down a jumper then elevated for a rebound to find Dylan Thoerner all alone in the corner for a three before Hohn drained a three at the top of the arc where he was fouled and made the free throw. Saran wasn't done as he added a pair of free throws in the 11-0 run that put UCI up at 1:32, 44-27
> Henry pulled down a lob and tippy toed across the baseline before stopping for a 13-foot jumper with 44 seconds left, the final basket of the first half, 46-29
> UCI's 17-point lead ties the largest of the season against a Big West opponent

SECOND HALF
> Leuchten muscled in for a basket and was fouled before Hohn had a hanging layup to push the UCI lead to 53-31 (16:47)
> Tillis started at the top of the arc and zigzagged his way down the lane to the basket for a layup and converted on the and-1 play, 56-34 at 16:11
> UCSB went on an 13-0 run over a 3:47 span to close within 56-47, 12:27
> Saran answer with a layup and two free throws, 60-47 (11:34)
> The Gauchos inched to within 10 at 8:14, then UCI countered with two C. Welling free throws and a jumper by Crockrell II, 68-54 (6:36)
> Six unanswered by UC Santa Barbara narrowed the margin to 68-60 at 5:10. Saran promptly hit two free throws (5:04) and after a Gaucho layup, Henry contributed to the scoring with a three-point play to keep UCI ahead, 73-62, with 3:55 remaining
> A five-point spurt by UCSB kept it interesting, but UCI would hit three of four free throws down the stretch. A costly Gaucho turnover turned steal for Henry sent him down the length of the court to slam it home in the final seconds for the 81-69 final  

NOTES
> UC Irvine outscored UC Santa Barbara in all five specialty stat categories
> UCI sweeps the season series with the Gauchos, winning three straight against them
> The Anteaters improve to 11-0 at home this season
> UCI goes to 13-6 on the year when Crockrell II dishes out five or more assists in a game
> Crockrell II moved into seventh place in program history with 343 career assists. The fifth year is now 69 assists away from catching Jerry Green (1998-02) for sixth (412)
> Hohn is now four three-pointers away from tying Eyassu Worku (2016-20) for 19th in the career three-pointers leaderboard

UP NEXT
UC Irvine travels to UC San Diego for a 1:00 p.m. tip from LionTree Arena.