Wise scores 21, Hunter adds 16 as UC Irvine tops UC Santa Barbara 57-55

UC Irvine edges past UC Santa Barbara

IRVINE, Calif. — Eric Wise scored 21 points and Michael Hunter added 16 to lead UC Irvine past UC Santa Barbara 57-55 Saturday night.

Wise, who was 8 of 11 from the field, scored 17 of his points in the second half. Hunter hit 4 of 8 from 3-point range for the Anteaters (7-6, 1-0 Big West Conference). Hunter scored 13 of his points in the first half as UCI led 27-24 at the break.

Adam Folker grabbed a career-high 14 rebounds for the Anteaters.

Orlando Johnson led UC Santa Barbara (5-6, 0-1) with 19 points and eight rebounds. The Gauchos have lost six of their last seven games.

Patrick Rembert hit a pair of free throws with seven seconds remaining to give UC Irvine a 57-51 lead.

UCSB’s Jordan Weiner hit one of three free throws with 2.5 seconds left to cut the deficit to 57-52, and after a UCI turnover, Roemer hit a three from the right corner as time expired.