Isaak, Rioux Lead Anteaters Past Chapman in Season Opener, 92-66

Tuesday, November 3

Irvine, Calif.

7:00 p.m.

UC Irvine

1-0,0-0Big West

Chapman

0-0,0-0SCIAC

Team	1	2	F
Chapman	26	40	66
UC Irvine	38	54	92

November 03, 2026 | Men's Basketball

Box Score

Six Anteaters score in double figures as UC Irvine controls the boards, 56-30.

IRVINE, Calif. – Luke Isaak scored 16 points in his collegiate debut and Olivier Rioux posted his first career double-double as UC Irvine men's basketball opened the 2026-27 season with a 92-66 victory over Chapman Tuesday evening at the Bren Events Center.

The Anteaters used a 15-0 first-half run to take control, then answered a late Chapman push with 13 unanswered points to pull away. UCI shot 54.1 percent from the field, held a 56-30 rebounding advantage and outscored the Panthers, 50-16, in the paint.

Isaak led six Anteaters in double figures, connecting on 4-of-6 attempts from beyond the arc and all 4 free throws. He added 3 rebounds, 2 assists and a game-high 3 steals in 15 minutes off the bench.

Rioux finished with career highs of 13 points and 12 rebounds in his first appearance as an Anteater. The center went 6-for-9 from the floor and added a block in 19 minutes.

Tama Isaac contributed 12 points, 5 rebounds and a team-leading 5 assists, while Josiah Johnson added 12 points, 4 rebounds and 2 assists. Nils Cooper totaled 10 points, 7 rebounds and 4 assists, and Jovan Jester Jr. registered 10 points, 4 rebounds and 2 assists.

Nes Emeneke anchored the defense off the bench with 4 blocks and 7 rebounds. UCI finished with 7 blocked shots and limited Chapman to 33.8 percent shooting. Joe Keegan paced the Panthers with 20 points, including 5 three-pointers.

Isaac opened the scoring with a three-pointer off a feed from Jester Jr., and Rioux followed with a pair of baskets to give UCI an early 7-5 advantage. Chapman responded with 7 straight points, taking their largest lead at 12-7 with 14:33 remaining in the first half.

The Anteaters found their footing on the defensive end, holding the Panthers scoreless for the next 6:47 while putting together a 15-0 run. Johnson began the rally with 2 free throws, and Jester Jr. later tied the game with a layup. Cooper put UCI back in front with a basket at the 10:36 mark before Isaac added a transition finish.

Isaak then knocked down back-to-back three-pointers, both off assists from Isaac, to stretch the lead to 22-12 with 9:17 remaining. Emeneke helped fuel the surge with 2 first-half blocks and 5 rebounds.

After Chapman ended its drought with a three-pointer, Rioux answered with a dunk and Johnson added a layup to restore an 11-point cushion. The Anteaters' ball movement produced another highlight with 3:08 left when Isaac found Cooper, who delivered the assist for a Johnson dunk and a 33-20 lead. Jester Jr. closed UCI's first-half scoring with a driving layup as the Anteaters carried a 38-26 advantage into the break.

UCI shot 50.0 percent in the opening period while holding Chapman to 26.3 percent. Rioux collected 8 rebounds before halftime.

Cooper opened the second half with a layup, and Rioux followed with consecutive dunks. The second came after an offensive rebound, giving Rioux 10 points and 10 rebounds and extending UCI's lead to 44-26 with 18:13 remaining.

Langston Redfield added a driving layup before Rioux converted a three-point play at the stripe to make it 49-30 at the 16:25 mark. Chapman answered with 3 consecutive three-pointers to cut the deficit to 10, but Isaak halted the run with his third triple of the night. Cooper followed with a putback, Torian Lee added a jumper and Johnson made 2 free throws as UCI rebuilt its advantage.

The Panthers continued to threaten from beyond the arc. Keegan scored 15 consecutive Chapman points during a stretch that brought the visitors within 64-55 with 7:19 remaining.

Chapman again pulled within 9 at 66-57 with 6:22 left before the Anteaters delivered the decisive response. Emeneke rejected a driving attempt, and Isaac finished in transition to begin a 13-0 run. An Emeneke free throw preceded consecutive three-pointers from Isaak and Jester Jr., pushing the margin to 75-57.

Cooper capped the surge with a driving layup and 2 free throws, giving UCI a 79-57 lead with 3:14 remaining. The Anteaters held Chapman scoreless for more than 3 minutes during the run.

UCI continued to extend the lead down the stretch. Dominique Bentho converted a three-point play, and Tishan Ahir knocked down a three-pointer to give the Anteaters their largest advantage at 90-60 with 1:17 left. Johnson finished the scoring with a dunk as UCI secured the 26-point victory to begin the season.

NOTES

UC Irvine begins the season 1-0.
Rioux recorded his first career double-double in his first collegiate start.
Isaak scored all 16 of his points on three-pointers and free throws.
UCI's bench contributed 44 points, led by Isaak and Johnson.
The Anteaters shot 57.6 percent in the second half, scoring 54 points after intermission.
UCI collected 16 offensive rebounds and finished with 17 assists.
All 15 Anteaters who appeared in the game recorded a point or rebound.