 "Photo: Gordon Huang")
Tigers 72 - Highlanders 57
The UC Riverside Highlanders were undone by a terrific performance from the University of Pacific Tigers this past Saturday evening at the Student Recreation Center in front of a crowd of 1392 and a national television audience.
The Tigers shot 11-25 from beyond the arc and answered any run the Highlanders made during the course of the evening, winning the game 72-57.
The Highlanders led the way will the score read 8-4 at the 14:50 mark of the first period. From that point the Tigers came back to tie the game and never looked back as they would never trail again in the game.
"I think they just played extremely well and we just didn't have an answer in any regard. Their field goal percentage inside the line and outside the line and minimal turnovers they had we just couldn't [defend them]," head coach Jim Wooldridge said. "We felt like we could play a position defense [but] we just didn't have any success doing that. We went into a little zone in the second half and they shot the ball extremely well from three point range so whatever we did they answered it. "
The Tigers took a 37-24 advantage into halftime.
At halftime, the Tigers had only two turnovers and had eight team assists with forward Sam Willard leading all scorers with 11 points.
The Tigers led the Highlanders in nearly all categories, including rebounds, typically the Highlander's hallmark. Pacific had just four turnovers and nearly three times as many points off of turnovers.
"It was a complete game by Pacific," Wooldridge said. "They're clearly the best team we've played in this league."
In the second half, the Highlanders deficit of 13 swelled up to 23 points and the Highlanders faced an uphill battle all along in the second pair of 20 minutes. The Highlanders would cut the deficit to 14 points with 3:55 left in the game but the Tigers would not let up.
The Tigers took junior Kyle Austin out of the offense with a swarming defense and forced the other Highlanders to make shots to beat them.
Austin finished the game 2-10 and scored only eight points which was well below his 17.2 points per game average.
As for the other Highlanders, senior Bryson Hampton had 10 points on a perfect 5-5 from the field. Senior Sean Cunningham led the Highlanders in scoring with 11 points and three other Highlanders finished with five points or more but those scorers did not score more than eight points.
The Highlanders started well, but the Tigers soon pulled ahead.
"We played too fast," said Hampton. "It kind of crumpled us a little bit."
As for the Tigers, Willard finished with a game-high 20 points and converted eight of his 10 shots. Point guard Demetrice Young had 13 points, four assists and no turnovers and forward Joe Ford finished with 10 points on 5-11 shooting. Three other Tigers had seven or more points.
After the loss, the Highlanders fell to 8-13 overall and 2-7 in the Big West Conference. Pacific meanwhile extended the best record in the conference to 7-1 and improved to 14-6 overall.
"We shot ourselves in the foot this game," said Cunningham. "We're not working well enough together on the offensive end."
The Highlanders who now have lost seven of their last eight games and lost four games in a row at home will try to right their ship at the Student Recreation Center on Thursday at 7 p.m. against the Cal State Northridge Matadors.
Aggies 60 - Highlanders 50
The Highlanders returned home after their tough road trip and were trying to rebound against the Aggies of UC Davis. The inability to hit free throws and lackluster offense proved to be the Highlanders downfall in this game as they fell 60-50 at the Rec Center Thursday night.
Within the first five minutes of the game, Kyle Austin scored all six points, but due to some key fouls and good shooting around the perimeter, Davis was able stay in the game.
After Davis took a six point lead with around eight minutes to go in the first half, guard Lateef McMullan hit back to back three pointers to bring them back and help shift momentum. This eventually gave the Highlanders the lead back for the majority of the half. However, a small scoring drought towards the last couple of minutes helped Davis go to the locker room with a one point lead.
At the half, Kyle Austin led all scorers with nine points as Mark Payne led the Aggies with six points. One of the reasons the Aggies were able to take the lead by the half was the Highlanders inability to convert at the free throw line.
As the half began, Davis started to take control of the game as they went on an 11-4 run giving them a 39-31 lead with 14 minutes to go in the second half.
After that run, the Highlanders decided to turn up the defensive intensity causing back to back steals leading to two fast break points. After Larry Gurganious sunk two much needed free throws to cut the lead to four, the Aggies scored seven straight points to take a 46-37 lead.
The Highlanders clawed their way into the Aggies lead with more intense defense as they only trailed 48-47 with just under three minutes left in the game after another pair of Gurganious free throws and a turnaround jumper that Kyle Austin had been draining all night.
Although Kyle Austin led all scorers with two minutes left in the game and the Riverside down 50-47 he couldn't bring the Highlanders within one missing two crucial free throws. Over the game, Austin went a horrible 1-10 from the charity strife.
"That was as frustrating of a basketball game that I have had to sit through," said Highlander head coach Jim Wooldridge said after the game. He also added "The skill level at the offensive end proved to be our biggest sore spot in the game."
Kyle Austin's 22 point effort was overshadowed by his troubles at the free throw line.
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