UC Irvine Fights Back to Win

J.R. Christ shined, and was fortunate to come away without a shiner.

That’s how UC Irvine’s 67-57 victory over St. Francis went Thursday in front of 908 in theBren Center. The Anteaters were left feeling no pain, but only because their second consecutive victory left them numb with glee.

“You come out of a game like that healthy, you have to be happy,” said Christ, who had 19 points and nine rebounds. “It was that rough.”

Christ, a 6-foot-9 sophomore, provided needed offense inside, making six of 10 shots, including a layup with three minutes left to blunt a Terrier rally. He also ended the first half with a dunk and free throw, giving Irvine a 33-24 lead, and started the second half with a three-point play.

Malachi Edmond and Sean Jackson put their defensive back-like styles to use as the Anteaters (6-3) shut down the free-wheeling St. Francis offense. They held the Terriers to a season-low in points.

Marek Ondera and Jerry Green showed floor leadership, at those times they weren’t skidding across the floor.

“It was a full team effort,” said Ondera, who finished with 13 points. “That’s the type of intensity we want to have all the time. What a great way to finish the millennium.”

The Anteaters have wilted in past years in such games.

The Terriers committed 27 fouls and Irvine shot 33 free throws, making 21--well off their team percentage of 79%. Put it down to fatigue.

But the Anteaters gave as good as they got Thursday.

“We’ve always had the toughness,” said Edmond, who had four steals. “There’s a difference between being tough and doing what you’re capable of doing.”

What Irvine wasn’t capable of doing during a 6-20 season a year ago was holding onto leads late in games. They lost six games by five points or less.

Irvine led by as many as 14 points in the second half, but St. Francis (5-5) cut the lead to 55-50 with four minutes left. The Anteaters didn’t pack it in.

Ondera found Christ alone underneath for a layup and Irvine quickly built the lead back up to 10.

When Green (15 points, eight rebounds) finished the game with a dunk, the Anteaters had six nonconference victories for the first time since 1982-83.

“There were times tonight where we played the best basketball we’ve played all year,” Coach Pat Douglass said.

Jackson and Edmond turned that into defensive intensity. They hawked Terrier shooters from the start.

Angel Santana scored 20 points but was seven of 17 from the field. Steven Howard had 14 points but made only two of six shots.

“Malachi can be really irritating in practice,” Ondera said. “That’s the kind of guy you need in the game.”