Scott Performs Starring Role As Eastern Whips Uc Irvine

Rebounding, especially the offensive variety, is often said to be part positioning, part strength and part timing.

The other 99 percent is desire.

And Karim Scott displayed much more of that main ingredient than anyone else on the floor at Reese Court on Wednesday night in leading Eastern Washington to an 80-53 men’s basketball romp past University of California Irvine.

Scott, a slightly built 6-foot-6 junior forward, scored 16 points and snaked his way inside for eight rebounds - including six off the offensive boards - as the Eagles raised their record to 3-2 in front of a small but hearty crowd of 884 that braved blowing snow and treacherous road conditions.

“I just kept going hard,” said the 185-pound Scott, a first-year transfer from City College of San Francisco. “And they really weren’t physical to me. This was more my kind of (finesse) game.”

“Karim Scott just had a great game,” said second-year EWU coach Steve Aggers. “His intensity was inspiring to our whole team, and he just owned the offensive boards tonight. When you’re that active, you create a lot of things, not only for yourself, but for other guys.” Among those who benefited most from Scott’s effort was junior center Kevin Lewis, who finished with 19 points. Forward Mike Sims and reserve guard Travis King each added nine for the Eagles.

Wendell Robinson led the young Anteaters (0-3) with 17 points, despite early foul problems.

The victory matched EWU’s win total of last season and gave the Eagles a much-needed shot of confidence heading into Saturday night’s 7:05 home showdown against Washington State.

WSU has owned the Eagles of late, but Irvine coach Rod Baker, whose Anteaters lost to the Cougars 91-53 Monday night in Pullman, said there is no reason to think Eastern can’t compete this time around.

“First of all, the game’s here,” he said, “and secondly, Washington State is going through a bit of a change with (the suspension of) Tavares Mack.

“Washington State isn’t much taller than we are, and if Eastern can play hard, get the ball inside, score the way they did tonight and have some confidence, it’ll be a game.”

Unlike the Cougars, who put UCI away early with a 16-0 burst at the start of the game, Eastern let the Anteaters hang around until a couple of minutes past intermission.

But after Irvine hit the first two baskets of the second half to pull within 35-30, the Eagles distanced themselves with a modest 10-2 run and then turned things over to Scott.

Scott scored eight points - four on putbacks - and snatched four rebound during a 4-minute stretch that decided it. By the time he was finished, EWU was up 55-40 and the Anteaters’ confidence was a mere memory.

Baker said the game turned on halftime adjustments.

“They really did a good job of changing up (defenses) on us in the second half,” said Baker, who has seven freshmen and three sophomores on his 12-man roster. “Then the discipline we showed early on offense kind of got away from us.”

EWU 80, UC Irvine 53

UC IRVINE (0-3) - Johnson 1-4 1-2 3, Foster 4-8 3-6 11, Robinson 7-15 1-4 17, Parker 1-2 2-2 5, Jackson 2-9 0-0 5, Lee 0-0 0-0 0, Pugh 0-1 0-0 0, Toscanini 0-2 0-0 0, Reznik 0-1 0-0 0, Negrete 0-1 0-1 0, Delacruz 2-3 0-2 6, Carlson 1-3 4-8 6. Totals 18-49 11-25 53.

EASTERN WASHINGTON (3-2) - Sims 4-7 1-2 9, Scott 8-13 0-0 16, K. Lewis 8-11 3-4 19, McClure 1-4 0-2 2, M. Lewis 3-3 0-0 8, Moss-Kelley 0-1 0-0 0, Garcille 0-2 0-0 0, King 3-7 0-0 9, Clause 0-0 0-0 0, Egan 4-8 0-1 8, Berger 3-6 1-2 7, Turner 1-1 0-0 2. Totals 35-63 5-11 80.

Halftime-E. Washington 35, UC Irvine 26. 3-Point goals-UC Irvine 6-13 (Robinson 2-4, Parker 1-1, Jackson 1-4, Toscanini 0-1, Delacruz 2-3), E. Washington 5-14 (McClure 0-2, M. Lewis 2-2, King 3-7, Egan 0-1, Berger 0-2). Fouled out-None. Rebounds- UC Irvine 34 (Foster 9), E. Washington 36 (Scott 8). Assists-UC Irvine 13 (Parker 6), E. Washington 25 (M. Lewis 5). Total fouls- UC Irvine 15, E. Washington 24. A-884.

, DataTimes