THIS WEEK IN ANTEATER BASKETBALL

UC Irvine (4-4) at San Jose State (3-4)
San Jose, Calif. - Provident Credit Union Event Center
Sunday, Nov. 30 - 2:00 PM | Mountain West Network | Live Stats  

STORYLINES
UC Irvine remains on the road, traveling to San Jose State Sunday (Nov. 30) for a 2:00 p.m. game at Provident Credit Union Event Center.

UCI leads the series record all-time (26-21), but the Spartans have taken the last five outings.

The Anteaters are 4-4 overall after splitting a pair of games in Mexico at the Cancun Challenge held at the Hard Rock Cancun Riviera Maya. UC Irvine dropped a 45-57 decision to New Mexico State before beating South Dakota State 64-52. 

Against the Aggies, the Anteaters' 45 points were a season-low as was the field goal percentage from the floor (12-45, 26.7%) and three-point distance (2-16, 12.5%). NMSU's 57 points were the second fewest scored by an opponent this season. 

In the win over the Jackrabbits, UCI went 21-29 from the line, the most points from the stripe this season. The offense bounced back, going 19-49 (38.8%) for the game. 

Guard Derin Saran was named to the All-Tournament team after recording 22 points and eight rebounds over two games. 

Forward Kyle Evans leads the country in blocked shots with 25 and is fifth in blocking average at 3.13 per game. The senior swatted a career-high eight blocks against Northern Iowa, which are tied for second most nationally this season. 

As a team, UCI ranks sixth in the country in blocks per game with an 7.1 average. The Anteaters have rejected at least three blocks in every game, including logging a season-high 10 blocks versus California Baptist. Nine different players have recorded at least one block this season. 

The Anteaters are also ranked sixth nationally in field goal percentage defense, holding opponents to a 35.7 mark (183-512). 

Sophomore guard Jurian Dixon leads the team and is sixth in the Big West with a 17.0 scoring average. He has led the Anteaters in points four times this season, including tying his career-high with 23 points versus Weber State.   

Looking ahead, UC Irvine begins the Big West schedule hosting UC Riverside Thursday (Dec. 4) and CSUN Saturday (Dec. 6) at the Bren Events Center.

SAN JOSE STATE BREAKDOWN
San Jose State and the 'Eaters meet up for the second time in three years after the Spartans won by eight back in 2023 to keep their streak of five straight wins dating back to 2009. UCI leads the all-time series, 26-21, between the former Big West rivals.

SJSU is 3-4 to this point with a 2-0 mark at home defeating Bethesda and Southern. They had a tough road swing to start the year falling by nine at Utah, by 11 at UCSB, and by 19 at No. 17 Michigan State. They're back to the Bay Area after participating in the Acrisure Holiday Invitational in Palm Springs where they lost to Tulsa by 30 (51-81) before beating Loyola Chicago, 63-51 on Wednesday.

The Spartans are coming off a 15-20 season a year ago that included a 2-2 mark against the Big West. They've already exacted revenge against Loyola Chicago, the team that knocked them out of the NIT First Round a season ago.
 
Five scorers are averaging double-digits, led by Colby Garland's 19.1 PPG. Yaphet Moundi has four double-doubles to lead the conference.
 
STATISTICALLY SPEAKING
The Anteaters are among the nation's leaders in several categories including sixth in blocks per game (7.1) and in field goal percentage defense (35.7%), 10th in defensive rebounds per game (31.25), 28th in rebounds per game (43.38), and 30th in scoring defense (63.6).
 
Senior Kyle Evans is the nation's leader in total blocks (25) and is fifth in blocking average (3.13).

CANCUN CHALLENGE REWIND
After starting the Cancun Challenge with a 79-72 loss at Utah Valley, UCI fell to New Mexico State and beat South Dakota State in Cancun earlier this week.

Against the Aggies, Derin Saran led UCI with 16 points, nine on free throws.

In the win over SDSU, the Anteaters had five players in double-digit points led by guard Jurian Dixon's 13 while totaling four rebounds, two assists and a steal. 

Kyle Evans was named the Player of the Game after a double-double, scoring 10 points and grabbing 10 rebounds.

HELPED BY HENRY
Guard Andre Henry has returned to the court the last four games, posting a season-high 11 points against South Dakota State, knocking down three three-pointers. He also grabbed two rebounds and two steals.

For the season, the graduate student is averaging 4.3 points and 2.0 rebounds in 17.3 minutes per outing.