NORTHRIDGE, Calif. – An 8-0 run by the Anteaters followed by free throw shooting down the stretch fueled UC Irvine to a 77-67 victory over CSUN Thursday evening.
 
The Matadors cut their deficit to five, 63-58, with six minutes remaining in the second half, but the Anteaters rattled off eight straight points to stay ahead.
 
Center Bent Leuchten posted his sixth double-double of the season with 17 points and 12 rebounds. Leuchten scored 11 of his points from the free throw line and shot 60 percent from the field (3-5).
 
Guard Justin Hohn followed with 16 points on the strength of four three-pointers, tying his career-best from beyond the arc. Hohn dished out a game best five assists and recorded three steals.

UC Irvine improved to 14-2 on the year and an unbeaten 4-0 in the Big West. The Anteaters remain the most winningest team away from their home court this season with seven road wins. 

FROM HEAD COACH RUSSELL TURNER
"Really good, hard-fought win for our team on the road. We have had several of those this year. I thought our team was especially ready which wasn't easy with all that is going on in southern California today. Our hearts go out to the people who are experiencing the really difficult life things and our opportunity to play tonight was one we really appreciate. Our guys were ready. We jumped on CSUN and give them credit for jumping us in the second half and squeezing us, but I thought our team was good doing the things that we do. We defended well, we rebounded well, we had good balanced scoring, and it was good to see us make a bunch of three's tonight."
 
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
> Myles Che finished with 15 points including three triples, a career-high, and went a perfect 6-6 from the line
> Forward Devin Tillis rounded out the double-figure scoring with 13 points as he shot 50 percent from the floor (6-12) to go along with three steals
> Guard Berk Can Akin contributed a career-best eight points
> Both Jurian Dixon and Ofure Ujadughele dished out three dimes
> UC Irvine knocked down a season-high 11 three-pointers in the win while holding CSUN to two makes from long-range
> The Matadors held the glass advantage, 40-35
> CSUN was led by Scotty Washington's 19 points on 7-14 shooting from the floor and three steals
 
FIRST HALF
> UC Irvine jumped out to a quick 15-2 lead on the strength of back-to-back three-pointers from Jurian Dixon (14:17) and Justin Hohn (13:54) after holding CSUN off the board for over three minutes to start the game
> After Kyle Evans knocked down his shots at the line, Myles Che drained two triples to increase the Anteater lead to 25-5 at 9:15
> Che sunk his third trey of the contest after his two makes at the stripe to push the margin to 30-12 (6:16)
> The Matadors would then score in four-point spurts, the last after a Torian Lee three-pointers to close within 35-22 at 4:01
> It was free throws the rest of the way until Devin Tillis had a layup with four seconds left to give UCI the 41-24 lead at the half
> CSUN's 24 points at the break are the third lowest first half production from a UCI opponent
 
SECOND HALF
> Hohn stayed hot from three-point land has he drained two in the opening two minutes of the second stanza, 47-26 at 18:18
> The Matadors answered a Berk Can Akin triple (12:10) with one of their own at 11:58, 56-42
> CSUN scored eight unanswered in a 90 second span to draw within five, 63-58 (6:00)
> After the Matadors regrouped, UC Irvine pulled ahead, 71-58, on Hohn (5:51) free throws, a turnaround jumper (4:27) and driving layup (3:48) from Tillis, and Leuchten's (2:48) second chance basket off the glass
> Twice in an eight second span, CSUN cut the deficit to nine, before Leuchten made his second of two free throws with 49 seconds left to hand UCI the 77-67 win

NOTES
> UC Irvine and UC San Diego both remain unbeaten in Big West play at a 4-0 mark and have identical overall records (14-2)
> UCI won their sixth straight against CSUN
> Two made three-pointers from the Matadors ties the lowest made from long-range from an opponent this season (last versus Towson, 11/30)
> It is the first time this season where UC Irvine has not allowed an opponent to score a three-pointer in a half
> The Anteaters shut down CSUN's Keonte Jones who averaged a near double-double of 14.2 points and 9.1 rebounds entering the contest to zero points and five rebounds in 30 minutes of action
> Devin Tillis now sits 22nd in the all-time rebounding list with 529, just 24 behind Eric Wise (553, 2008-11) for 21st
> Justin Hohn places ninth in the all-time steals leader board with 122, just two away from passing both Ben McDonald (123, 1980-84) and Scott Brooks (123, 1985-87) for seventh
> Hohn is the 28^th all-time scorer in the program now just 24 points away from moving in front of Patrick Sanders (1,136—2004-08) for 27th
 
UP NEXT
UC Irvine continues their road stint at UC San Diego on Saturday Jan .11. Tip-off is slated for 7 p.m.