The UC Irvine Men’s Basketball team (8-0) defeated Towson University (4-5) 67-60 at the VisitLethbridge.com Arena in Lethbridge, Canada on Nov. 30 to cap off a successful Thanksgiving weekend — in which the Anteaters went 3-0, winning the 2024 Western Slam.
Coming in as -9.5 point favorites per ESPN Bet, Towson surprised UCI by keeping the score close throughout the game. Towson’s aggressiveness on defense and tenacity on the boards allowed them to keep up. However, UCI prevailed behind a strong offensive performance from redshirt senior forward Devin Tillis.
Both teams traded buckets out the gate, with Irvine senior center Bent Leuchten and Tillis scoring the ‘Eaters’ first 12 points of the game. Leuchten, who leads the team in scoring with 15.4 points per game, showed his offensive versatility early with second-chance layups and a three-pointer from the top of the key.
Towson kept the game close through the first half, in part due to UCI’s carelessness with the ball. In the first half alone, the Anteaters had 13 turnovers, seven of which were steals. Tigers senior forward Tomiwa Sulaiman tallied more than half of these, ending the half with an impressive four steals.
Irvine led by as much as seven in the first, but a mid-half run from Towson powered by five straight points from senior guard Rahdir Hicks limited the UCI lead to three points at the end of the half, 33-30.
The Tigers opened the second half strong, taking the lead with a 7-2 run led by five points from redshirt sophomore guard Dylan Williamson and a jump shot from Hicks. UCI answered back with two strong layups from Tillis, assisted by sophomore guard Myles Che’s off drives to the basket to tie the game at 37.
After trading buckets, a run from Irvine capped by a Tillis three-pointer gave them their largest lead of the game, 55-45. Junior forward Kyle Evans contributed six points, while Che added five.
However, Towson’s hustle prevented Irvine from icing the game, as the Tigers clawed back through points off turnovers and second-chance opportunities. A nine-point run that included three UCI turnovers allowed the Tigers to eventually retake the lead by way of a putback layup with just under three minutes to go — forcing the game to 60-59.
With the clock dwindling, both teams excelled defensively under pressure. Towson sophomore guard/forward Mekhi Lowery continued the Tigers’ defense by adding a clutch steal to the team total, but Leuchten answered with a block on the other end. Leuchten’s impact would not be denied, as he gave Irvine the final lead of the game with a post-hook in the center of the paint. After a Towson timeout, Leuchten came up with the game-sealing steal, ushering the final nails in the coffin for the UCI victory.
Tillis led the way for Irvine, scoring a game-high 25 points in addition to seven rebounds and three assists. Leuchten scored 11 points and was the defensive anchor as he tallied a pair of blocks and steals. Irvine shot 52% from the field, including 50% from behind the arc, compared to Towson’s 41% field goal and 20% three-point percentages.
UCI looks to remain undefeated in a matchup against Cal State Bakersfield at the Bren Events Center on Dec. 5.
Jordan Hum is a Sports Intern for the fall 2024 quarter. He can be reached at jrhum@uci.edu.
Edited by Benjamin Flores
