Some of them might’ve been big enough…not really. They were banana slugs.
4 Likes
This team is so frustrating to watch. Missed layups, missed wide-open threes, poor defensive rotations, silly turnovers. And it’s what, game 33 or something?
4 Likes
It should not be this close.
1 Like
Erickson has been pretty good the past few games. He is not a pg and struggled when forced to play there. I’m not suggesting that he is a starter, but he has shown some toughness and good shooting.
3 Likes
The centers for UCI are frustrating… lurch (15) sets moving screens over and over but no call. Our guys move a mm and it’s called. Also, letting their bigs be physical and lovering can’t breathe on a guy
3 Likes
yikes!!!
YYYYYYYYYYYYYYAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGG!!!
1 Like
Fight On! Anteaters! 
1 Like
Should not have been that close, but… Irvine is no slouch, there are worse teams in the big dance than them. Oh well, on to host Iowa, which is likely the last home game considering Villanova is the one seed in our bracket.
1 Like
After letting both teams play in the first half, it was bizarre how the officials did a complete 180 in the second… but only when it came to calls against the Utes.
2 Likes
What I didn’t know is that Irvine beat Southern Cal by 10 and lost to San Diego St by one. Both games on the road.
3 Likes
Whole different player once he got rid of his headband.
3 Likes
Won 17 conference games, too. Scrappy opponent, they played physical and hard, made it uncomfortable, but we prevailed. Nice start in the NIT.
(But 17 conference wins? What kind of craptacular conference are they in?)
3 Likes
That team also won @ USC earlier in the season. That was a good win for Utah and it sets up another big game at home. This time against Big Ten foe Iowa. Iowa beat Wisconsin and they won @ Michigan State. Both of which made the NCAA Tournament. Utah also is a VCU fan today because if the Rams win @ Villanova, Utah wouldn’t have to leave home if they get past the Hawkeyes. Or they would need a Villanova loss vs. regular season AAC champ South Florida. Regardless, Utah’s path to the NIT semifinals/finals is clear.
2 Likes
Well, unless Villanova loses at home. They have to beat VCU (who has a better record than they do) AND then they’d need to beat AAC regular season champ South Florida to force Utah to travel. If they lose to VCU (or South Florida), Utah would host until a potential NIT semifinal appearance in Indianapolis. That’s actually a really good UC Irvine team. They won @ USC earlier this season.
2 Likes
Well, well, we beat SMC and BYU along with the LA schools …
3 Likes
I’m actually impressed with the Big-West. It’s kind of mind-boggling they have most of the UC schools in that league. (UCSF doesn’t have sports.)
If they kicked Cal Poly out and included the Banana Slugs and UC Merced, they could probably call a quorum and sue Cal to get in on the Calimony money from UCLA joining the B1G.
(And not too many Cal State schools to get uppity about the whole UC-Cal State prestige divide.)
Everything is relative…
“Hey dad, I got a scholie from Cal State Bakersfield - we go to Hawaii every year! Gonna tell Cal State Dominguez Hills no thanks, and would you tell that guy from Cal State Los Angeles nobody believes the BS about them being kind of like UCLA?”
2 Likes
Glad we won. UCI was a good opponent. Going forward we are going to need to cut back on the turnovers and snag more rebounds. Had UCI a had a better shooting night, we would’ve lost this one. Some of that was good defense; but we can’t rely on shooting over 50 percent for a game to carry us.
Next game up.
GO UTES!!!
4 Likes
Villanova has a top 20 SOS… their #1 seed is probably well-deserved. TBH though I’m worried about Iowa. I know a lot of the analysts cited them among the biggest NCAA tourney snubs.
1 Like
I’m just not seeing the same thing. I still feel like he’s more lost and vulnerable than a JC recruit should be. Usually JC guys have some deficiencies — that’s why they’re JC guys. But they usually have one dominant skillset that a D1 school can use, like scoring, rim protection, etc. That’s why they get brought in for a year or two to be a quick-fix plug to a team’s need.
I’m not seeing what quick fix Erickson brings to the table. I’ll give him credit for hustling. He DOES play hard. But it all feels like unharnessed energy. At the P5 level, he’s short, laterally slow, isn’t a natural ball handler or distributer, a poor defender, and is a below average shooter.
Now I feel bad. I’ve trashed a kid who’s just trying his best.
2 Likes