Pacific Game Recap: Cardiac Cats Fend Off UC Irvine
By Josh Horton
Mar 22, 2013; Austin, TX, USA; Pacific Tigers forward Khalil Kelley (13) rebounds against the Miami Hurricanes during the first half of the second round of the 2013 NCAA tournament at the Frank Erwin Center. Mandatory Credit: Jim Cowsert-USA TODAY Sports
The Pacific Tigers got their second victory over the season, taking down the favorites in the Big West by a score of 84 to 79.
The Tigers were led by Ross Rivera and Sama Taku, who had 8 rebounds apiece and also chipped in 21 and 20 points respectively.
The Tigers hit 83.8% of its free throws (31 of 37), which eventually was the deciding factor in this game, as UC Irvine only hit 62.5% of its free throws (25 of 40).
The Anteaters were led by Alex Young, who scored 17 points and 4 assists. 7’6” Mohamad Ndiaye led UC Irvine in rebounding with 6 rebounds.
Keys to the Game Checklist
Feed Sama Taku – Check
Sama Taku had 20 points on only 4 of 13 shooting. However, he got to the line 13 times and knock down 12 of them. The Tigers did a decent job of giving Taku the rock and he delievered with 20 points.
Control the Boards – Check Minus
The Tigers won the rebounding battle in this contest, by corralling 39 rebounds compared to UC Irvines 33. It wasn’t an overwhelming margin, but it was enough to push the Tigers over the top.