Warrior Insider

Evan Leonard scored a game-high 19 points and John Edgar, Jr., added 14 points and eight rebounds tonight to help visiting UC Irvine hold off Hawai’i, 66-57, in Big West Conference men’s basketball action.

A Senior Night “White Out” crowd of about 6,500 at the Stan Sheriff Center watched Tommy Rutherford add 12 points off the bench as the Anteaters improved to 16-15 overall, 11-4 in the Big West to remain in first place. Drew Buggs scored 11 points and grabbed six rebounds and Sheriff Drammeh added 10 points and four boards for the Warriors, who fell to 16-11, 7-7.

Edgar capped an early 11-2 run with a jumper from the right baseline to give UC Irvine a 20-9 lead just over nine minutes into the game, and the Anteaters pretty much stayed in control the rest of the game. UH did close it to 38-36 with 12:45 remaining as Drammeh’s pull-up jumper capped a 12-5 run to open the second half, but UC Irvine answered with a 16-5 surge as Leonard’s layup made it 54-41 with 4:34 left.

The Warriors never got closer than seven points the rest of the way.

The Warriors will close the regular season on the road with games at UC Davis on March 1 and at Cal State Fullerton on March 3. They will stay in California for the Big West Tournament, March 8-10 at Anaheim, Calif.

More details, including video highlights and interviews, will be posted later.

(Game photo courtesy Brandon Flores)

Big West Conference
Saturday’s Results
UC Santa Barbara 82, at CSUN 73
at UC Davis 64, UC Riverside 63
at Cal State Fullerton 81, Long Beach State 71
UC Irvine 66, at Hawai’i 57