DAVIS, Calif. – Myles Che poured in a career-high 31 points to lead UC Irvine to an 88-59 victory over UC Davis at the University Credit Union Center Thursday evening.
 
Che was almost perfect from the floor, shooting 10-11, including 3-3 from three-point range. He was also 8-9 from the line. It is the first time an Anteater has scored 30 or more since Dawson Baker had 33 on Feb. 23, 2023.
 
UCI established its dominance early, shooting a blistering 62.1 percent from the floor (18-29), going 5-9 from distance in the first half. For the night, UCI was 30-51 (0.588) from the field and 20-23 from the line (87 percent).  
 
The Anteaters win their fourth in a row and improve to 26-5 overall and 16-3 in the Big West.
 
UCI won its nation's best 13th true road win of the season, tying the school record set by both the 2015-16 and 2018-19 squads. The 'Eaters also have a combined 16 wins away from Irvine, ranking first in the nation.
 
The Anteaters were selfless, dishing 14 assists and out-rebounded the Aggies 36-24.

FROM HEAD COACH RUSSELL TURNER
"Really pleased to come on the road and compete at the level we did tonight, and we did it without Justin Hohn. I kept him out, out of abundance of caution, and I expect to be ready for the next game, but I thought that all of our guys were focused without him and in support of him. We knew the importance of this game and we really defended our level. We took great care of the basketball and made a bunch of shots early that stretched out a lead that we were able to maintain throughout the game. So, I am pleased with that. I thought Devin Tillis and Bent Leuchten were outstanding early that entirely dictated the game. Myles Che had an incredible performance with 31 points on only 11 shots. We've got a lot of guys on this team contribute and do it on both end of the floor. Also, Berk Can Akin started tonight in place of Justin and I thought that he played really well with that starting group even though the shots didn't go in. He did a bunch of good things and I'm excited for the opportunity to compete for another road win on Saturday."
 
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
> Center Bent Leuchten recorded his fourth consecutive double-double and 15th on the season with 13 points and game-high 12 rebounds
> Forward Devin Tillis totaled 15 points, hitting 6-8 from the field to go with seven rebounds and three assists
> Guard Jurian Dixon went 5-11 from the floor and 2-4 from three-point range for 12 points
> Guard Torian Lee pitched in nine points, two rebounds and an assist
> Ofure Ujadughele had a team and career-high five assists
> Elijah Chol came off the bench for two blocks and a rebound in three minutes
> UCI shot over 50 percent from the field for the ninth time this season and second time in three games
> UC Davis (15-15, 9-10) shot 35.2 percent from the floor (19-54) and were led by TY Johnson with 24 points
 
FIRST HALF
> UC Irvine started on a 6-0 run as Devin Tillis grabbed the offensive board feeding Bent Leuchten (18:22) in the paint who made the layup and extra free throw before Jurian Dixon passed cross-court for Myles Che's (17:55) three-pointer
> Che turned around for the basket then Dixon took the ball away from an Aggie going coast-to-coast to push the margin to 10-2 at 15:28
> UC Davis brought it within five points twice, the last 12-7 at 13:48, until the Anteaters went on a 7-0 run fueled by three points and an assist from Tillis to go ahead, 19-7 (10:13)
> Che was an offensive spark, posting seven points in almost two minutes, the last a strong-willed three-point play at 5:00, 32-14
> After the under-four media break, Dixon hit back-to-back three-pointers which was followed by a baseline floater to put UCI up 43-20 at 2:19
> Leuchten ended the half with a pair of free throws (1:33) and a basket (0:33) to maintain the lead, 47-25
> UCI shot 62.1 percent from the field (18-29) in the first half to UCD's 35.7 percent (10-28)
 
SECOND HALF
> Che remained on fire out the gate, going for a reverse on the Berk Can Akin threaded pass through the lane and got fouled making the and-1 shot then draining his third triple of the night, 53-25 (18:42)
> Both sides exchanges baskets, the last a deep pass from Che to Akin who took on the defense for a reverse lay-in at 16:02, 59-31
> The Aggies drew to 63-43 at 11:45 after going on a 7-0 scoring stint
> UCI was held to just four free throws for five minutes until Tillis hit a three-pointer at 9:15, 68-48
> The Aggies got within 16, 68-52, at 8:29 before Leuchten was fouled from beyond the arc as the shot clock was expiring to stop the UCD momentum. Leuchten would make two of three shots at the stripe, 70-52 (7:59)
> The Anteaters held UC Davis scoreless for the final 4:05, ending the scoring on Che's final two points on a layup, two Ujadughele free throws and layup, and a take down the lane by Torian Lee, 88-59
 
NOTES
> Berk Can Akin made his first career start, taking part of the sixth different UC Irvine lineup of the season
> Devin Tillis sits 14th in the all-time rebounding list with 636, just 34 from meeting Ben McDonald (670, 1980-84) for 13^th
> Tillis is 56 points away from hitting the milestone 1,000-point club in a UC Irvine uniform
> Bent Leuchten is 18th in the rebounding standings with 604, needing eight to pass Ricky Butler (611, 1988-91) for 17th, and nine to go ahead of Adam Folker (612, 2008-13) for 16th
> Leuchten enters the UCI's single season rebounding ranks, ranking eighth with 280
> Leuchten leads the Big West and team in double-doubles (15)
> Jurian Dixon has scored in double figures in six straight games
> Myles Che knocked down a three-pointer in 15 consecutive games played
 
UP NEXT
UCI will play their final game of the regular season at UC Santa Barbara on Mar. 8 for a 7 p.m. start.