Defeat • Aaron Nixon attempts to score while surrounded by Anteaters. UCI defeated LBSU 67-76 in Saturday’s game in The Walter Pyramid. Tracey Roman / Online Forty-Niner

Anteaters dominate Beach, 73-67

By Andrew De Lara
Online Forty-Niner
Staff Writer
 

Previously second place in the Big West conference, the Long Beach State Men’s Basketball team looked to tarnish a perfect 7-0 record held by the first place UC Irvine Anteaters and gain leverage in the conference standings. The loss dropped LBSU to a third place tie in conference standings.

An assembly of UC Irvine band members, cheerleaders and students rolled down Interstate 405 Saturday afternoon in The Walter Pyramid to watch their squad stifle the Beach’s usually high-octane offense for a 73-67 victory.

Senior guard Jibril Hodges led the Beach in the loss with 24 points, while Shawn Hawkins chipped in with 11 on the night.   “We had poor shooting,” said Head Coach Larry Reynolds. “Irvine shot the ball extremely well and their defense has been good all season – a combination of those two things can only be good for them.”

Irvine came out of the gates with intensity, building a 15-9 lead in the first half. A .182 three-point shooting percentage in the half led to a 29-24 disadvantage at halftime.

The second half was no better for The Beach, as the Anteaters fought their way to a 19 point lead with 9:03 left in the contest with the help of a seven-minute dry spell by the 49er offense. A combined six of 28 three point attempts made it into the basket on the night, accounting for the lack of scoring characteristic of the 49ers this season.

The large deficit built by the 49er squad was simply too much to overcome due to a stagnant offense during the dry spell.

“ That’s how our offense looks when no one is driving to the basket,” Reynolds said.

  A furious comeback attempt by the 49ers, including two large dunks on the fastbreak by junior guard Aaron Nixon, saw The Beach cut the lead to 68-62 with just more than 1:50 remaining, but UCI held on in the final minute with free throws and defensive stops to seal the deal at 73-67.

The loss shatters the active three-game win-streak enjoyed by the Beach prior to the meeting.

Calendar

Display Ads