Briefs: UCI schedule complete

The UC Irvine men’s basketball team’s 2013-14 schedule is complete after the field was set for the subregional round of the 2L Sports Classic at UCI on Nov. 22-24.

The Anteaters will play Long Island University Brooklyn on Nov. 22 at 7 p.m., then face Boston University the following afternoon at 5:30. UCI will close out the event against Eastern Washington on Nov. 24 at 4 p.m.

Other games in the subregional at the Bren Events Center are: Boston vs. Eastern Washington (Nov. 22 at 4:30 p.m.); Eastern Washington vs. LIU Brooklyn (Nov. 23 at 3 p.m.); and LUI Brooklyn vs. Boston (Nov. 24 at 1:30 p.m.

LIU Brooklyn was 20-14 last season and earned a berth in the NCAA Tournament.

Boston returns all five starters from last year’s 17-13 squad and Eastern Washington, 10-21 last season, features last season’s Big Sky Conference Freshman of the Year in forward Venky Jois.

UCI, coming off a 21-16 campaign that ended in the Big West Tournament title game, plays host to Chapman University in a Nov. 2 exhibition game, before opening its season on Nov. 8 at home against Fresno State.

— From staff reports

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UCI picked fifth

The UC Irvine women’s volleyball team has been picked to finish fifth in the Big West Conference coaches preseason poll.

The Anteaters registered 40 points in the nine-coach poll that was topped by defending champion Hawaii (81), which received all nine first-place votes.

Long Beach State (72 points) was picked second, followed by Cal State Northridge (59) and UC Davis (43).

Rounding out the poll, in order, behind UCI are UC Santa Barbara (36), Cal State Fullerton (35), Cal Poly San Luis Obispo (28) and UC Riverside (11).

UCI, coming off an 11-22 season in which it was 5-13 in conference to finish eighth, will be led by Aly Squires (a team-best 443 kills), Marisa Bubica (341 kills) and Shannon Fleming (second on the team with 103 blocks and 24 aces).

The Anteaters open the season Aug. 30 in the two-day Pioneer Classic at Denver University.

UCI’s home debut, after 11 road matches to open the season, is Sept. 20, when they play two matches (American at 10 a.m. and Xavier at 7:30 p.m. as host of the UC Irvine Tournament at the Bren Events Center.

— From staff reports