Men’s Basketball: UC Irvine controls Northridge behind Martin, Davis
Though it continues to miss three major contributors out with foot ailments, the UC Irvine men’s basketball team isn’t exactly limping to the finish of the Big West Conference regular season.
The Anteaters handled Cal State Northridge, 67-58, on Saturday to earn their second home win of the week and solidify their hold on second place with four regular-season conference games left.
Sophomore reserve guard Jaron Martin had a career-high 19 points to lead the hosts (16-10, 9-3 in conference), who remain two games behind UC Davis and two ahead of Long Beach State and UC Santa Barbara, who are tied for third.
Martin made seven of 11 field-goal attempts, including three three-pointers, and continues to take advantage of increased playing time created by the absence of injured junior guard Alex Young. Martin, who played 30 minutes and started the second half, has scored 43 points the last three games. That stretch began with his game-winning shot in the final seconds at Long Beach State.
“Jaron was terrific and has been on many nights this year,” UCI Coach Russell Turner said of the 5-foot-10 former walk-on. “I think we have found a good one there. That’s what happens when guys go out [with injuries]. It creates opportunity and you see what other players can do. [Martin] is real. There is not any question about that at this point.
“He provides a different element for us, because he is a penetrator and a contact-creator and he’s shooting an incredible percentage from [three-point range], so offensively, he does a lot that is really, really valuable.”
Senior Will Davis had 10 points and 11 rebounds and continues to help dilute the impact of injuries that have sidelined 7-6 Mamadou Ndiaye and 6-10 John Ryan.
Davis had nine rebounds in the second half and collected seven offensive boards. It was his second straight double-double, his fourth of the season and the 13th of his career. He was two for nine from the field, but made all six of his foul shots, while adding three assists, one steal and no turnovers in a team-high 32 minutes.
Sophomore Luke Nelson chipped in 14 points, four rebounds and two assists in 30 minutes, while senior Travis Souza had eight points, five rebounds and two assists.
UCI turned up its defense early in the second half to turn a 41-34 halftime advantage into a 52-38 cushion with 12:38 left.
Cal State Northridge (7-22, 2-11) did not score its 10th point of the second half until 14:17 had elapsed.
UCI has now won its last 45 games in which it has held the opponent to 60 or fewer points. And only a 9-0 run against bench players in the final minute helped the Matadors cut into a deficit that had been as high as 18.
Turner was pleased that his team posted just seven turnovers, the same total it had in Thursday’s 75-60 triumph over Hawaii. It’s the first time all season the ’Eaters have committed fewer than 10 turnovers in back-to-back games.
“We’re excited to have done what we did this week,” Turner said. “I credit my guys’ toughness and character, because we have a lot of excuses that we could use for allowing our play to not be as good, and we’ve chosen a different path. I feel good about the senior leaders I’ve got. We’re a team here and I’m pleased that our depth is able to carry us as we work to get some guys back.”
Turner said Thursday that Ndiaye is expected back for Thursday’s game at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. And Turner said Young and Ryan should be back before the Big West Tournament begins March 12.
UCI is 9-3 at home with one home game remaining (March 5 against Cal State Fullerton).
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Big West Conference
UC Irvine 67, Cal State Northridge 58
CSUN – Hale-Edmerson 4, Elliott 7, Hicks 16, Drew 9, Maxwell 3, Parks 13, Webb 6.
3-pt. goals – Drew 2.
Fouled out – None.
Technicals – None.
UCI – Davis 10, Best 4, Nelson 14, Souza 8, Wright 1, Martin 19, Dimakopoulos 6, Dunning 5.
3-pt. goals – Martin 3, Souza 2, Nelson 2, Dunning 1.
Fouled out – None.
Technicals – None.
Halftime – 41-34, UCI.