IRVINE — Derin Saran recorded a 20-point triple-double and reserve Nes Emeneke added a double-double to power UC Irvine to a 130-63 rout of Lincoln University (of Oakland) on Monday night at the Bren Events Center.
Saran, a redshirt sophomore guard, finished with a career-high 20 points, 12 rebounds and a career-high 10 assists for the Anteaters (2-1), shooting 9 for 16 from the field while adding three steals. Emeneke, a freshman forward, had career highs of 20 points (on 8-of-12 shooting from the field), 10 rebounds and five blocked shots as UCI feasted against a severely overmatched opponent.
UCI set several program records in the win, bettering the school record for assists in a game for the second time this season with 40, six more than the mark set last week against Bethesda.
The Anteaters’ 59 made field goals are a school and Bren Center record, while the 88 field goal attempts are also a new Bren Center record, just one shy of the overall school mark.
UCI’s 71 second-half points are a Bren Center record, surpassing the old mark of 70 that was set twice before, the last time in 2020.
The Anteaters’ 130 points are the most they have scored since posting a school-record 135 in a victory over Bethesda on Nov. 28, 2020. Their 67% shooting from the field (59 for 88) is also the best showing since that Bethesda game when UCI shot 69.1% (56 for 81).
UCI outrebounded Lincoln 55-21, the most boards since the Anteaters also had 55 against Life Pacific on Nov. 21, 2022.
“I’m feeling relieved and ready to move forward,” UCI coach Russell Turner said. “I’m giving Lincoln credit for coming here and playing us. That’s a tough assignment. I thought we asserted ourselves and we knew what we were supposed to do that to win the game. Our team was unselfish tonight. I appreciate that. We’ve got to keep getting better as a rebounding group, because we’re going to be aggressive defensively to protect the rim and block shots.”
While the game provided far less competition than an intrasquad scrimmage would, Turner said these early-season mismatches do have some value.
“Non-Division I games are important. They’re important for us to have performances from guys who are trying to establish themselves like Nes Emeneke tonight,” he said. “Every opponent we face is going to present different challenges. Our ability to be good is going to require us to shoot the ball well in addition to passing the ball well.”
Harrison Carrington shot 9 for 9 from the field for a career-best 19 points, while Jurian Dixon went 4 for 8 from 3-point range on his way to 18 points. Kyle Evans shot 6 for 8 from the floor for 12 points to go with six rebounds, while Jovan Jester Jr. had eight points, nine assists and four steals. Ben Egbo and Akiva McBirney-Griffin also had eight points each, while Tama Isaac finished with seven points, eight assists, six rebounds and two steals.
Laolu Kalejaiye had 19 points, including five 3-pointers, to lead Lincoln (0-2), which made 11 shots from behind the arc. Nathan Chatelain added 16 points and Brandon Williams scored 10.
UCI held a 20-12 lead less than six minutes into the game when it went on a 19-0 run that included six points from Emeneke and five from Saran. Thins progressed as expected from there.
The Anteaters’ cushion reached 30 points when Emeneke found Egbo driving baseline for a layup and a 55-25 lead with 2:27 left in the first half. A baseline jumper by Dixon sent UCI to the locker room with a 59-31 halftime lead.
The Anteaters opened the second half on a 10-2 run with a pair of Evans layups and back-to-back 3-pointers from Dixon.
UCI broke the 100-point mark with a Saran putback layup for a 100-53 lead with 8:52 remaining.
Saran found Evans for a dunk with 3:28 left for his 10th assist, which gave him his first career triple-double.
UP NEXT
UCI hosts Weber State on Saturday at 7 p.m. at the Bren Events Center.
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