Box Score LA JOLLA, Calif. --- The battle of the top two teams in the Big West went into overtime as the hosts UC San Diego defeated UC Irvine, 92-88, Saturday afternoon at LionTree Arena.

Both teams had double-digit leads in the game. UCI held a 41-40 lead at the half only to see UCSD go up by as much as 11 points in the second half. The Anteaters roared back to take a lead with 35 seconds to go, but the Tritons nailed a three-pointer as time expired to send the game into overtime, 81-81.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS
>Guard Andre Henry led the Anteaters with 18 points on 7-9 from the floor, including 3-4 from three-point range
>Center Bent Leuchten went 5-10 from the floor and 4-6 from the line for 14 points in 19 minutes of action
>Guard Justin Hohn posted 13 points on 5-9 shooting from the floor with two three-pointers. He had five rebounds, two steals and two assists
>Carter Welling shot 8-10 from the line  and 2-4 from the floor for 12 points. He swatted two blocks
>Guard Pierre Crockrell II added 10 points, going 5-11 from the floor. He added three rebounds to go with two assists
>Forward Devin Tillis had a team-high eight rebounds and seven points on the strength of 5-8 from the line. Tillis tallied a team-best four assists and two steals
>Guard Derin Saran totaled six points on 3-4 shooting with two assists
>Forward Dean Keeler pulled down five rebounds and had four points
>UCSD's Bryce Pope had a game-high 32 points
>Both teams shot well with the Anteaters, going 30-59 (50.8%) and the Tritons, 32-67 (47.8%). UCI went 23-33 from the line and UCSD was 20-23
>UCI held a 39-31 advantage in rebounds

FIRST HALF
> The home team jumped out to the early lead, but Justin Hohn poured in seven points to even things up at 9-9 by the first media timeout
> UCI vaulted ahead leading 22-18 at the next break thanks to nine points from the bench and a 9-4 rebound advantage
> The 'Eaters went up as much as 10 points and led 35-26 before a 10-0 Triton run put them on top, 36-35, for the final media timeout of the half
> The run reached 12 points before an Andre Henry bucket. The teams traded the lead in the final minutes before a Henry bucket put UCI up at the half, 41-40, as the Tritons missed a three-pointer at the buzzer.
> At the half, Hohn and Bent Leuchten led the way with 10 points each. UCI had the 19-11 rebound advantage with both teams shooting over 48% while defending the three well.

SECOND HALF
> 'Eaters shot out to a six-point lead thanks to an early Andre Henry three in the second half as their lead hovered around that mark before the Tritons managed to tie it, 50-50, by the first timeout of the half
> Coming out of the timeout, after making just two three all game, the Tritons drained three of them to go up by their largest lead of the game, 61-50, with 12:11 left in regulation
> UCI cut into UCSD's advantage drawing within six, but a big three-pointer boosted the Tritons who led by as many as 11. The 'Eaters drew back within six points and it remained that deficit with 3:45 to go trailing 75-69
> The Anteaters continued to chip away in the final minutes before Andre Henry's three-pointer with 35 seconds left put UCI back on top, 80-78.
> Carter Welling made 1-of-2 free throws with four seconds on the clock to go up, 81-78, but the Tritons sunk a three-pointer at the buzzer to send the game to overtime, 81-81, the second OT game for the 'Eaters this season.

OVERTIME
> Entering the extra period, five Anteaters were in double figures led by Henry at 15, 14 for Leuchten, 13 for Hohn, and 10-point afternoons for Carter Welling and Pierre Crockrell II.
> UCSD made their eighth three early in the overtime period to go ahead and rode until Henry dropped a big three-ball to tie things, 88-88, with 2:42 to play.
> The Tritons hit a pair of free throws to lead 90-88, and UCI would miss a pair. The defense forced a turnover giving the Anteaters the ball with 13 seconds left in overtime.
> A three-pointer with time running down was missed, and UC San Diego would ice the game at the other end with free throws for the 92-88 victory.

NOTES
> UCI shot over 0.500 overall from the floor for the eleventh time this season
> Crockrell II sits at seventh place in program history with 345 career assists. The fifth year is now 67 assists away from catching Jerry Green (1998-02) for sixth (412)
> Crockrell II sits sixth in the career leader board for assists in a season with 167 and is just four away from tying Lloyd Mumford (1993-94 season) for fifth. The fifth year senior is also 11 away from tying his fourth place finish for his 178 assists in 2022-23
> Hohn is now two three-pointers away from tying Eyassu Worku (2016-20) for 19th in the career three-pointers leader board

UP NEXT
The Anteaters continue on the road traveling to CSUN Thursday, February 29, for a 7:00 p.m. start.