UCI Takes a Trip, Forgets to Pack Intensity : Basketball: Despite career-high 29 points from Keith Stewart, Anteaters fall to Hofstra, 77-67, in New York.

HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. —  Rod Baker stood in the hallway outside the locker room Monday night, searching for answers. There were none.

The UC Irvine basketball team had traveled 3,000 miles to play Hofstra, and basically wasted the plane fare.

It wasn’t the 77-67 loss that bothered Baker as much as the Anteaters’ lack of intensity.

“We just didn’t play,” the Anteater coach said. “We didn’t show up.”

When it was suggested to Baker that a trip across the country was a long way to go for a flat, unemotional effort, he shrugged his shoulders and said, “Tell me about it.”

Guard Keith Stewart, who scored a career-high 29 points, was a lone bright spot for the Anteaters.

Hofstra’s Butch van Breda Kolff, the onetime Laker coach (1967-69), could tell Baker something about the frustrations of traveling. The Flying Dutchmen, who lost their conference affiliation at the end of last season when the East Coast Conference folded, had played 19 of 25 games on the road before Monday.

“It can wear you down,” van Breda Kolff said.

Indeed, senior Demetrius Dudley, who has been the Flying Dutchmen’s one bright light in a 9-17 season (6-1 at home; 3-16 on the road), would not have minded if the season ended Monday.

“This would’ve been a perfect way to end it . . . in our gym, with our fans and with a win,” said the 6-4 Dudley, who scored a team-high 27 points in his final home appearance. “It doesn’t get much better then this.”

Hofstra’s season finale, and 20th road game, will be in Richmond, Va., next Monday night.

Van Breda Kolff’s decision to start three guards began to pay dividends after Irvine (5-16) took a 13-7 lead.

Elzie Love, Stewart and Lloyd Mumford hit three-point baskets in the early surge before some sloppy ballhandling by the Anteaters began to take its toll.

“We made nine straight turnovers, I know that,” Baker said.

Hofstra’s quickness, coupled with Irvine’s inability to exploit its height advantage inside, enabled the Flying Dutchmen to put together a 13-0 run that turned a six-point deficit into a 20-13 lead with 10:15 remaining in the half.

Dudley scored the first eight points of the rally on a three-pointer from the right side, a drive down the lane and a three-pointer from the left side.

“We let him get his rhythm and that hurt us,” Baker said.

With the exception of Stewart, Irvine’s offense was anemic after its quick start. So anemic that Todd Whitehead’s drive with 6:21 left in the first half ended a nearly nine-minute stretch during which the Anteaters scored two points and Hofstra ran off 20 to take a 27-17 lead.

The Flying Dutchmen led, 36-24, at halftime.

Despite attempting only eight shots in the second half and making six, Hofstra was able to maintain a comfortable advantage by converting 28 of 35 free throws. Irvine made five of 11 free throws in the final 20 minutes.

Nevertheless, Baker didn’t blame the officials.

“There were a couple of bumps that should have been called,” he said. “But that wasn’t the difference. Call if jet-lag if you want. We had no life. They beat us to the ball and they played harder.”

After falling behind by 19 points with 10:10 remaining, the Anteaters managed to draw within 58-44 on Mumford’s short jumper. Then Dudley converted two free throws and Sean Titus sank two more, extending the lead to 18 points and Irvine never threatened again.

“We needed a win,” said Baker, looking ahead to Big West Conference games this week at San Jose State and University of the Pacific. “This would have been a good one to get.”