Riverside, CA – The UC Riverside Men's Basketball Team fought back from a 12-point second half deficit against UC Irvine on Saturday, coming as close as two points with under 8 minutes to go. However, despite the returns of Alex Larsson and Dikymbe Martin to the lineup, the Highlanders fell at home, 62-52.

KEY RUNS
After starting the game slowly, the Highlanders would strike with an 11-1 run – 8 points coming from Chance Murray – to take their first lead of the game, 13-11, at the 12:51 mark of the opening half.

The Anteaters would lead by as many as 12 points, 38-26, early in the second half. Playing with the same resilience that has kept them in games in recent weeks, the Highlanders fought back to cut the deficit to two, 46-44, on a Martin triple with 7:34 remaining.

Unfortunately for the home side, they would go cold the rest of the way, connecting on just 2-of-11 shot attempts over the final 7:06 and being outscored 16-8.

GAME NOTES
Redshirt sophomore DJ Sylvester led the way in scoring for the fourth time this season, putting up 12 points and knocking down a conference season-high 6-of-7 (.857) from the free throw line.

Sylvester also added five rebounds and was one of three Highlanders with at least 2 steals. Junior Koh Flippin led UCR with 3 takeaways.

Sophomore Dikymbe Martin returned from a six-game absence, scoring 11 points on 3-of-10 (.300) shooting in 24 minutes off the bench. The Riverside native knocked down his only three-point attempt of the game and was a perfect 4-for-4 from the charity stripe.

Senior Chance Murray reached double-figures for the fourth time in the last six games, tallying 11 points to go along with a team-leading 6 rebounds.

Senior Alex Larsson – who had not played since spraining his ankle in the Highlanders' last meeting with UC Irvine on Jan. 24 – added 3 points and 4 rebounds in a limited role off the bench.

The Highlanders, who had made at least 9 three-pointers in three straight games, finished 3-of-16 (.188) from beyond the arc. The Anteaters shot just 5-of-23 (.217) themselves from three-point range. 

UC Riverside will return to action next Wednesday, Feb. 14 when it travels to CSUN to take on the Matadors.