Briefs: ‘Eaters’ ‘Busters foe set
UCI men will face Eastern Washington in 10th annual BracketBusters contest on Feb. 18 at Bren Center.
The UC Irvine men’s basketball team will play host to Eastern Washington in the annual BracketBusters game Feb. 18 at 7 p.m. in the Bren Events Center.
This will be the eighth BracketBusters appearance for the Anteaters, who are 4-3 in previous matchups. UCI lost at Nevada, 74-63, last season.
The 10th annual BracketBusters series has its largest field this year with 142 teams from 16 conferences.
The series between UCI and Eastern Washington is tied at 3-3 with the ‘Eaters winning the first three meetings and the Eagles the last three, including 78-64 in Cheney, Wash., Nov. 30, 2008.
Juniors Mike Wilder and Daman Starring lead Coach Russell Turner’s ‘Eaters (8-13, 4-4 in the Big West Conference) in scoring, both averaging 11.5 per game. Sophomore guard Chris McNealy, junior guard Derick Flowers and freshman center Will Davis are each averaging at least eight points per game. Junior center Adam Folker leads UCI in rebounding at six boards per contest as four Anteaters’ players are averaging at least five rebounds.
Jim Hayford is in his first season as head coach at Eastern Washington (10-12, 4-5 in the Big Sky Conference). The Eagles rank fourth in the nation with an average of 9.3 three-point field goals per game.
Junior forward Collin Chiverton leads EWU in scoring at 17 per contest, followed by senior guard Cliff Colimon at 14.5. Senior forward Cliff Ederaine tops the team in rebounding at 7.5 per game.
UCI plays host to conference foe UC Davis Thursday at 7:30 p.m. and is also home against Pacific on Saturday at 7 p.m. another league contest.
The ‘Eaters have won their last two games, including 65-57 over UC Riverside in the Homecoming contest Saturday.
— From staff reports
UCI baseball on TV
Three UC Irvine baseball games are scheduled to be televised this season.
The Anteaters’ Feb. 18 meeting with Southern, the second game of the round-robin Urban Invitational at Houston’s Minute Maid Park, will air live at 1 p.m. Pacific Time on the MLB Network.
ESPNU will carry the April 15 home contest with Big West Conference rival Cal State Fullerton at 2 p.m.
ESPNU will also televise the May 6 home date with UC Santa Barbara at 2 p.m.
UCI is ranked No. 29 in the Collegiate Baseball preseason poll and picked to finish second behind Cal State Fullerton in the Big West Conference coaches preseason poll.
UCI opens its season Feb. 17 against Alabama State at the Urban Invitational.
The home opener is against UNLV on Feb. 20 at 2 p.m.
— From staff reports
Mesa wins crown
The Costa Mesa Aquatics Club’s 10-and-under team won its age group at the first Mini Mesa Tournament, held recently at Costa Mesa High.
Stuart Campbell scored numerous times to help secure a victory and CMAC’s second game went into sudden-death overtime with Jennifer Murphy making the winning goal.
In the final, CMAC clinched the championship with a 5-0 victory, as goalie Kevin Johnsons posted the shutout.
Coaches Dustin and Cody Serrano, both former Costa Mesa High standouts, said that they could not have been more proud of their 10-U team, stating that the squad came out and played hard to win.
The Serranos said they were also impressed by their 12-U team, which included starters Augie Cunnigham, Blake Hudson, Teak Zachary and Jacob Garcia.
The Newport A team dominated throughout the 12-U tournament to win the championship. Newport came focused, played hard, and displayed aggressiveness to collect the victory.
Merrill Moses, the U.S. national men’s team goalie who played in the Beijing Olympics, stopped by the tournament and spoke to some of the kids about water polo. He also took the time to work with a few of the CMAC players before working with Newport Harbor High standout Cleo Harrington.
Merrill, who just returned from Australia where Team USA won the Pan Pacific games, said that it was great playing with the national team again after a two-month hiatus. He also said he is looking forward to the 2012 Olympics this summer in London.
— From staff reports