The UCI Men’s Basketball team (8-4, 4-0) defeated the Cal Poly Mustangs (2-10, 0-6), 67-44, with a strong defensive performance to cap off the sweep of their two-game series against Cal Poly in the Big West Conference at the Bren Events Center on Jan. 23.
The Anteaters followed up from their strong performance in the first game against the Mustangs, which took place on Jan. 22.
It was a slow start to the game for both teams. UCI presented Cal Poly with a stout defensive scheme; however, they did not capitalize on the offensive end.
The Anteaters were once again without freshman guards Dawson Baker, DJ Davis and Andre Henry. The absence of these skilled freshmen gave other players more opportunities to shine in this back-to-back matchup.
UCI found great success in getting the ball into the paint but could not convert their chances. Trent Rush, the play-by-play voice for UCI Men’s Basketball, stated UCI is among the top 10 teams in the nation in scoring two-pointers on the UCI basketball radio network.
“It was shocking to see such a struggle in that area,” Rush said.
UCI headed to the locker room at halftime with a 28-23 lead. The Anteaters managed to make only eight of their attempted 28 field goals. However, they converted on 11 of their 12 free throws.
The second half began with UCI exploding on offense. They gained an 11-0 run that put the Anteaters in double digits, 39-23, for the first time during the game. Sophomore guard Jeron Artest and redshirt junior forward Collin Welp converted two three-point field goals that provided momentum for the Anteaters.
Welp scored all of his 18 game-high points in the second half after sitting through most of the first half due to early foul trouble.
Shortly after, the Anteaters found themselves up 44-24 with 15 minutes remaining. They continued to play great defense and consistently converted it to offense to maintain their comfortable lead. With still over eight minutes left in the game, the Anteaters’ lead grew to 28 points as they greatly improved their shooting.
Cal Poly was not able to mount a comeback, which resulted in a victory for the Anteaters, 67-44.
Head coach Russell Turner spoke about the second half start after the game. He stated the team’s determination to fight through a rough first half offensively led to their strong second half.
“I thought our defense was really strong to start the second half,” Turner said. “I thought the opposite was the case yesterday. We didn’t start the second half with any intensity. We felt a commitment from our team tonight.”
Redshirt sophomore forward JC Butler had another career night that propelled the Anteaters on offense. He managed to score both off his dribble and through open passing lanes — much of what the Anteaters have been missing with Baker, Davis and Henry. He totaled a career-high 15 points and four steals. It was his first back-to-back double-digit point performance of his career.
Aside from Butler, redshirt freshman guard Justin Hohn, sophomore guard Isaiah Lee and Artest produced on both ends of the court for the shorthanded Anteaters. They fared well in Turner’s rotations, which provided active hands on defense and consistent three-point shooting.
UCI shot 18-21 from the free-throw line, which helped the Anteaters in times when their offense struggled. As a team, the Anteaters committed only eight turnovers while the Mustangs had 18. UCI dominated the paint yet again, outscoring the Mustangs 28-8.
UCI held Cal Poly to under 30% shooting in a terrific defensive performance.
The Anteaters look to continue their impressive play in Hawai’i as they take on the University of Hawai’i Rainbow Warriors in a back-to-back series in the Big West Conference on Jan. 29 and Jan. 30 at 9 p.m.
Matthew Zeko is a Sports Intern for the 2021 Winter Quarter. He can be reached at mzeko@uci.edu.
