UC Irvine Men’s Basketball team (20-3, 10-1) overcame a strong defensive effort from UC Davis (12-10, 6-5) to secure a 73-66 win at the Bren Events Center on Feb. 1, marking their 20th victory of the season. With the win, the Anteaters extended their home winning streak to 22 games — the longest active streak in the nation.
UC Davis’ aggressive defense caused problems for Irvine early, forcing multiple turnovers and preventing the Anteaters from establishing their usual offensive rhythm. The Aggies capitalized on Irvine’s slow start and jumped out to an early 7-0 lead. UC Davis senior guard TY Johnson led the charge, sinking a pullup jumper and assisting senior forward/wing Pablo Tamba for an open three-pointer.
The Anteaters found their footing behind a corner three from sophomore guard Myles Che. The shot sparked a rally, as Irvine tied the game at 7-7 after a fastbreak layup by graduate guard Justin Hohn. The two teams traded baskets for much of the first half, with UC Davis briefly pulling ahead 29-22 after a deep three from freshman forward Isaiah Chappell.
UCI responded in the final minute of the half, closing the deficit with a deep three from senior center Bent Leuchten and a second-chance tip-in from redshirt freshman guard Jurian Dixon. The first half ended with UC Davis leading by just one point, 34-33.
Coming out of the break, Irvine quickly took control. The Anteaters opened the half with an 8-2 run, fueled by a pair of freethrows and a layup from Che. The defensive intensity ramped up as Leuchten swatted a layup attempt from Johnson, setting the tone for the second half. One of the defining plays of the game came when Che was bumped into the UC Irvine bench while draining a three-pointer, earning a four-point play that extended the Anteaters’ lead to 58-51.
UC Davis attempted to claw back, but Irvine’s defense continued to frustrate the Aggies. With 2:31 left in the game, Hohn drilled a crucial three-pointer as the shot clock expired, pushing the lead to 73-63 and effectively sealed the victory for the Anteaters. The final minutes of the game were defined by Irvine’s defensive resilience as they forced contested shots and limited second-chance opportunities for UC Davis.
Leuchten recorded his 11th double-double of the season, leading UCI with 21 points, 13 rebounds and a career-best six assists. Che contributed 17 points, including his clutch four-point play. Hohn added 17 points and three steals, while Dixon and redshirt senior forward Devin Tillis provided key defensive stops down the stretch.
UC Davis’ Johnson finished with 21 points, but the Aggies struggled to generate offense late, shooting just 38% from the field compared to Irvine’s 56.3% from beyond the arc.
With this win, UC Irvine became just the third team in the country to reach 20 victories this season. The Anteaters now prepare for a high-stakes, nationally televised matchup against UC San Diego at the Bren Events Center on Feb. 8, with first place in the Big West on the line.
Curtis Wang is a Sports Intern for the winter 2025 quarter. He can be reached at curtiw2@uci.edu.
Edited by Jack Fedor