UC Irvine men’s basketball schedule unveiled

UC Irvine, coming off the program’s first NCAA Division I Tournament appearance, has potentially 14 games against 2015 postseason teams on the Anteaters’ 2015-16 schedule. Seven of those teams competed in the NCAA tourney last season.

Coach Russell Turner’s Anteaters advanced to the NCAA Division I Tournament for the first time in school history last March, narrowly losing to three-time national champion Louisville, 57-55, in the NCAA Second Round at Seattle.

UCI won the program’s first Big West Conference Tournament title, defeating Hawai’i, 67-58, in the championship game.

Three starters and 11 total players who saw game action return for the ‘Eaters from last season. The returning starters are 7-6 junior center Mamadou Ndiaye, who averaged 10.5 points and 5.1 rebounds last season, 6-3 junior guard Luke Nelson (10.5 ppg, 4.0 apg) and 6-1 senior guard Alex Young (9.4 ppg, 3.6 apg).

The Anteaters have 14 home dates on this season’s schedule in the Bren Events Center, where the Anteaters have won 36 of their last 44 games.

One of the home games is against former Big West member New Mexico State Jan. 2. The Aggies competed in the NCAA Second Round last season and are one of seven potential NCAA tourney teams that the ‘Eaters could face this season.

Five NCAA Tournament teams, including UCI, are in the DIRECTV Wooden Legacy Nov. 26, 27 and 29. The field includes Final Four participant Michigan State, Arizona, Boise State and Providence. Evansville, champion of the CollegeInsider.com tournament, is also in the event along with Boston College and Santa Clara.

The first two rounds (Nov. 26 and 27) will be played at Titan Gym in Fullerton with the final four games at the Honda Center in Anaheim on Sunday, Nov. 29.

UCI also has a road game at Oregon for the third consecutive season. The Ducks, who edged UCI, 69-67, in overtime last season in Eugene, advanced to the NCAA Third Round in 2015.

Another NCAA tourney team on the Anteaters’ schedule is Kansas, which also advanced to the third round last March. UCI’s first-ever meeting against the Jayhawks is Dec. 29 at Allen Fieldhouse in Lawrence.

The Anteaters open their schedule with an exhibition game at home against local NAIA power Vanguard Nov. 7.

UCI’s regular season begins with UC San Diego Nov. 13 and Loyola Marymount Nov. 15, both at the Bren Events Center.

The ‘Eaters face the University of Central Florida in Orlando Nov. 18, marking UCI’s first game in the state of Florida in almost 45 years (83-69 loss at Florida State, Jan. 30, 1971). The Knights of UCF have their own 7-6 center in freshman Tacko Fall.

UCI hosts Santa Clara Nov. 23 in just the third series meeting between the schools.

The Wooden Legacy follows later that week and the ‘Eaters begin December with four consecutive road games at Pacific Dec. 4, 2015 NIT participant Saint Mary’s Dec. 6, former Big West member Utah State Dec. 12 and Oregon Dec. 15.

Chapman University visits the Bren Center Dec. 18 before UCI travels to El Paso, Texas, for the Don Haskins Sun Bowl Invitational. The ‘Eaters open Dec. 21 against Sam Houston State, which competed in the CIT last season. Two other 2015 postseason opponents await in the next round Dec. 22, either UTEP (NIT) or Norfolk State (CIT).

UCI opens Big West action Jan. 7, hosting UC Davis, the 2015 conference regular-season champion and NIT participant.

The Homecoming game is Jan. 30 versus UC Santa Barbara, which competed in the College Basketball Invitational last season.

The Big West Tournament returns to the Honda Center March 10-12.

UCI has won 65 games over the last three seasons, advancing to the postseason each of those years (2013 CIT, 2014 NIT, and 2015 NCAA). The Anteaters were 21-13 overall last season and 11-5 in the Big West Conference, tying for second place in the regular season.

Six seniors are on the UCI roster this season: Mike Best, Dominique Dunning, Reed McConnell, Shawn Ray and Aaron Wright and Young.

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UC Irvine men’s basketball schedule

NOVEMBER

7 – Vanguard (Exhibition), Bren Events Center

13 – UC San Diego, Bren Events Center

15 – Loyola Marymount, Bren Events Center

18 – at Centra Florida

23 – Santa Clara, Bren Events Center

26 – #DirectTV Wooden Legacy, Cal State Fullerton

27 – #DirectTV Wooden Legacy, Cal State Fullerton

29 – #DirectTV Wooden Legacy, Honda Center

DECEMBER

4 – at Pacific

6 – at Saint Mary’s

12 – at Utah State

15 – at Oregon

18 – Chapman, Bren Events Center

21 – +Sam Houston State, at UTEP

22 – +UTEP or Norfolk State, at UTEP

29 – at Kansas

JANUARY

2 – New Mexico State, Bren Events Center

7 – *UC Davis, Bren Events Center

9 – *UC Riverside, Bren Events Center

13 – *at Long Beach State

16 – *at UC Santa Barbara

20 – *Cal State Fullerton, Bren Events Center

27 – *at Cal State Northridge

30 – *UC Santa Barbara, Bren Events Center

FEBRUARY

4 – *at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo

11 – *at Hawaii

13 – *Cal State Northridge, Bren Events Center

17 – *at Cal State Fullerton

20 – *Hawaii, Bren Events Center

24 – *Long Beach State, Bren Events Center

27 – *at UC Davis

MARCH

3 – *Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, Bren Events Center

5 – *at UC Riverside

10-12 – Big West Tournament, Honda Center

# DIRECTV Wooden Legacy - Fullerton, Calif. & Anaheim, Calif. (Arizona, Boise State, Boston College, Evansville, Michigan State,

Providence, Santa Clara)

+ Don Haskins Sun Bowl Invitational - El Paso, Texas (Sam Houston State, UTEP, Norfolk State)

* Big West Conference games