Aggies rally past UCI

COLLEGE STATION, Texas — Visiting UC Irvine seized leads of 3-0 and 9-4, but the No. 12-ranked Texas A&M; used a 14-0 run to take control and never looked back to earn an 88-66 nonconference men’s basketball victory Saturday before 8,064 at Reed Arena.

UCI 6-foot-7 senior center Darren Fells opened the game with a three-pointer, one of 10 for the Anteaters (4-7), who are now 0-7 when playing off campus this season.

A three-pointer by sophomore Michael Hunter, who came off the bench for the first time this season, put the Anteaters up, 14-12, with 12:17 left in the opening half. But UCI went scoreless over the next five minutes, 24 seconds, and never got closer than four points the rest of the way.

“We knew Texas A&M; was a good ballclub, a well-coached ballclub,” UCI Coach Pat Douglass said. “We knew this would be more than just a test for us. We were trying to survive.”

The Anteaters started senior Marcus McIntosh, as well as junior Trey Harris in the backcourt for the first time this season and both went a combined one for eight from the field.

Fells, as well as senior forward Patrick Sanders, however, were up to the challenge. Fells made eight of 11 field-goal tries on his way to a game-high 19 points. He added six rebounds and two assists in what Douglass said was by far his best game of the season.

Sanders added 18 points and a team-leading seven rebounds, He was seven of 13 from the field and two of three from three-point range.

The ‘Eaters converted 10 of their 18 three-point tries (55.6%), including three of five by sophomore Chad DeCasas, who came off the bench to chip in 11 points.

Junior forward Kevin Bland was plagued by foul trouble, which hurt the Anteaters against a tall and athletic A&M; front line. Bland fouled out having collected three points and two rebounds in 22 minutes.

“I was proud of our effort,” Douglass said. “We tried to play defense, but there were just too many holes to plug up.

Hunter, who had eight points, was two for three on three-point attempts.

All five starters and one reserve scored in double figures for the Aggies (11-1), who are now 43-3 at home in the last three seasons, 9-0 this year.

The Aggies’ starting five also shot a combined 23 for 35 from the field (65.7%) to help the hosts shoot 63% for the game (34 of 54). Dominique Kirk was four of five from three-point range for the winners.

UCI, which committed just seven turnovers, one more than the Aggies, shot 44.4% from the field (24 of 54).

The Anteaters, who opened 4-8 each of the previous two seasons, are back in action Friday at South Carolina, before then visiting Harvard on Sunday.

UCI gets a fifth straight road game in its Big West Conference opener Jan. 4 at Cal State Fullerton.

— From staff reports

Nonconference

Texas A&M; 88, UC Irvine 66

UCI – Sanders 18, Bland 3, Fells 19, Harris 2, McIntosh 0, DeCasas 11, Hunter 8, Lauer 5.

3-pt. goals – DeCasas 3, Sanders 2, Hunter 2, Lauer 1, Bland 1, Fells 1.

Fouled out - Bland.

A&M; – Jones 12, Sloan 14, Jordan 12, Carter 10, Kirk 14, Roland 11, Elonu 6, Muhlbach 4, Bowles 3, Davis 2.

3-pt. goals – Smith 3.

Halftime – A&M;, 44-34.