Anteater

UC Irvine will gladly take all its nail-biting victories, but it would also like a few more easy wins. After Jerry Green won the Anteaters' showdown last Thursday at Utah State with a buzzer-beating shot, Irvine got a rare breather Saturday with its 92-54 drubbing of Idaho to build a 11/2-game lead in the Big West Conference.

It's funny what a couple of victories will do to a team that's trying to earn respect. Hopefully, they would provide a rush of confidence and the impetus to carry it to victory over two struggling teams each playing without one of its best players. For UC Irvine, however, a 2-0 start in the Big West led to a monumental case of overconfidence. Wednesday, the Anteaters lost at UC Santa Barbara, when the Gauchos were without their top scorer, Lelan McDougal.

Cal State Fullerton and UC Irvine will play Thursday in the Big West Conference men's basketball tournament at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas. The Titans (8-18) take on Nevada (10-16) at 3 p.m. The winner advances to play New Mexico State (20-7) at 7 p.m. Friday. UC Irvine (7-19) opens the tournament with a 1 p.m. game against UC Santa Barbara (13-16). The winner plays Utah State (14-12) at 1 p.m. Friday. In the women's tournament, Fullerton (5-21) takes on UC Irvine (4-22) at 8 p.m.

Beneath their jerseys in the first round of the Big West Conference tournament a year ago, UC Irvine's players wore new T-shirts. We think we can, the shirts said. It was a statement of optimism and purpose, tempered by a dash of uncertainty. The difference this year is that they know they can. But with the erratic way this team has played all season, they just don't know if they will.

Robby Busick, a senior at Atascadero High School, said he has committed to play soccer at UC Irvine. Busick, a midfielder, had 15 goals and seven assists last season, his second on the Atascadero varsity. He was named second-team All-Southern Section Division II. VOLLEYBALL Michelle Davis, a senior outside hitter from Santa Margarita High, committed to James Madison, Laguna Beach Volleyball Club Coach Michael Soylular said.

UC Irvine prevented Cal State Northridge from clinching a tie for the Big West Conference title by defeating the Matadors, 82-66, Saturday night at the Bren Center. The Anteaters, 14-14 overall, 8-6 Big West, who lost at Northridge, 69-64, on Jan. 31, have won five of six and moved into fourth place in the conference standings. Michael Hunter had 18 points and Patrick Sanders scored eight of his 16 points in the second half as the Anteaters held off a second-half Northridge rally.

Team Concept, former college players touring the country, was just what the UC Irvine men's basketball team needed Thursday night. The Anteaters got 22 points and seven rebounds from senior forward Ben Jones, and demonstrated in the second half of their 87-62 exhibition victory at the Bren Center that they can play as a team. Centers J.R.

UC Irvine advanced to the semifinals of the Big West women's tennis championships with a 5-2 victory over Long Beach State Thursday at the Ojai Valley Racquet Club. Maureen Diaz beat Mandy Carvalho, 6-2, 6-4, at No. 1 singles then teamed with Liz Yim to clinch the match by beating Jessica Perico and Lara Spica at doubles, 8-4. Jonni Seymour, Darian Chappell and Nickole Kabe also had victories in singles for the Anteaters. The top-seeded Anteaters play fourth-seeded Boise State at 11 a.m. today.

UC Irvine Coach Greg Patton glanced one way and saw two of his doubles teams and one of his singles players reach the final of their events Saturday at the Ojai tennis tournament. Then he looked over and noticed that a former player, Steve Aniston, made the final of the men's open singles. And finally, UCI-bound Mike Briggs of Corona Del Mar High School won the boys' interscholastic singles. "What a day for the Anteaters," Patton said. Call it a day for the Anteaters past, present and future.

Coach Rod Baker didn't realize it at the time, but he might have defined UC Irvine's upcoming season. After seeing the Anteaters lose to Global Sports All-Stars, a club team of former college players, in an exhibition game Nov. 6, Baker finished evaluating his team's performance with a brief statement. "We [stank] tonight, we'll [stink] less tomorrow," he said. Humble aspirations for a team beginning a season that once held promise.