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Men’s Basketball: ‘Eaters handle Hornets

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Back from a four-game road trip that featured three losses, the UC Irvine men’s basketball team was once again where it felt comfortable in a 74-62 nonconference win over visiting Sacramento State on Saturday.

But the Anteaters (4-3), ranked No. 13 in the CollegeInsider.com mid-major poll, are nowhere near where they want or need to be, according to Coach Russell Turner.

Turner pointed to a continuing lack of defensive focus as an area he hopes to improve upon with a week on the practice floor before the next home game, Saturday against Texas Arlington, which will be followed by four more road dates.

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“I don’t know if we feel like we’ve gotten there or arrived, but something has softened us,” Turner said after the Hornets (4-3) shot 41.2% and executed well enough to avoid a demonstrative beating. “We have lost a little bit of our defensive edge and I’m disappointed by that. But we’re going to get it back.”

There were plenty of positives for the winners, who have now won 29 of their last 34 in the Bren Events Center.

Senior John Ryan, starting for 7-foot-6 sophomore scoring leader Mamadou Ndiaye, who sat out a second straight game with a sprained left foot, led the ‘Eaters with 14 points and seven rebounds. The 6-foot-10 co-captain made seven of nine field-goal attempts to maximize his opportunity in 21 minutes.

“I think the effort of John Ryan stands out,” said Turner, whose team once again capitalized on its size advantage to produce a 46-18 advantage with points in the paint. “He was outstanding.”

Turner also praised the play of junior guard Alex Young (13 points, four assists and two steals), as well as 7-2 sophomore reserve Ioannes Dimakopoulos, who had 11 points on five-of-eight shooting in 17 minutes to help the UCI earn a 26-15 edge in bench scoring.

“He’s too talented to not be a good player,” Turner said of Dimakopoulos, who had totaled only nine points in his first six appearances this season. “I was pleased with the way he fought for rebounds and I thought he had a defensive presence.”

That defensive presence, however, is not universal for UCI. The Anteaters ranked No. 3 in the nation in field-goal-percentage defense last season (.347), but entered this week at No. 53 in that department this season (.380).

“What I measure my team against is what I’ve seen before from us,” Turner said. “And I don’t think we’re at a good level defensively. We need to find that again to be as good as we want to be. Our guys want to be good, but I’m not sure that we are willing to pay the price right now. Quite honestly, I don’t think we’re as committed as we have been and I’m disappointed about that with a more experienced team [than last season].”

UCI shot better than 50% from the field in both halves to finish 32 for 63 from the field, just shy of 51%. The ‘Eaters were 28 for 42 from inside the three-point line (66.7%) and held the advantage in rebounds (36-28) and turnovers with 11, four fewer than the Hornets.

Will Davis had eight points, four rebounds and two assists and was one of six players to contribute to UCI’s seven blocked shots.

Sophomore Luke Nelson had eight points and five rebounds and junior Dominique Dunning chipped in eight points, three boards and two steals for the winners.

UCI opened the second half on a 15-4 run on its way to eventually leading by as many as 20.

Sacramento State was led by Edison High product Dylan Garrity (18 points) and Mikh McKinney (17).

Turner said Ndiaye could be back for the Texas Arlington game.

Nonconference

UC Irvine 74, Sacramento State 62

Sac. St. – Stuteville 4, Garrity 18, McKinney 17, Hornsby 8, Demps 0, Tiffin 5, Jackson 3, Graves 3, Barlett 2, Srings 2.

3-pt. goals – Garrity 4, McKinney 1, Hornsby 1, Graves 1.

Fouled out – None.

Technicals – None.

UCI – Ryan 14, Davis 8, Young 13, Nelson 8, Souza 5, DImakopoulos 11, Dunning 8, Wright 4, Best 3.

3-pt. goals – Nelson 2, Young 1, Souza 1.

Fouled out – None.

Technicals – None.

Halftime – 34-27, UCI.

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