Upcoming Event: Men's Basketball versus Grand Canyon on November 25, 2025 at 10 PM
10 PM
Men's Basketball
vs Grand Canyon
.png&width=31&height=31&type=webp)
.png&width=31&height=31&type=webp)
![Oregon [Exh]](https://images.sidearmdev.com/crop?url=https%3A%2F%2Fdxbhsrqyrr690.cloudfront.net%2Fsidearm.nextgen.sites%2Futahutes.com%2Fimages%2Flogos%2Foregon.png&width=31&height=31&type=webp)
![Nevada [Exh]](https://images.sidearmdev.com/crop?url=https%3A%2F%2Fdxbhsrqyrr690.cloudfront.net%2Fsidearm.nextgen.sites%2Futahutes.com%2Fimages%2Flogos%2FNevadaAthletics_Navy.png&width=31&height=31&type=webp)
The University of Utah Athletics
Runnin' Utes Travel West To Face UC Irvine Saturday
12/23/2008 12:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Dec. 23, 2008
SALT LAKE CITY - The University of Utah men's basketball team (6-5) travels to the west coast for the first time this season to take on UC Irvine at the Bren Events Center on Saturday. Tipoff is slated for 7 p.m. PT.
Playing on the road for the third time in their last four contests, the Runnin' Utes are looking for their first win away from home since taking a 71-58 victory against Missouri State on Nov. 28. Since then, the Utes are 0-3 on the road, including a two-point buzzer-beating loss at Utah State on Monday night.
UC Irvine enters Saturday's game looking for its second straight and third overall win of the season, coming off a 64-51 neutral-site victory against Norfolk State. The Anteaters opened the year with six straight losses before snapping that streak with a win at Pepperdine, then lost three more before topping Norfolk.
Utah is 8-0 all-time against UC Irvine, including a 2-0 record on the Anteaters' home floor. In their last meeting, Utah topped UCI by a 78-66 score in Salt Lake City, Dec. 1, 2007. That game saw then-junior guard Lawrence Borha (Staten Island, N.Y.) blow up for 24 points on nine field goals, grab eight rebounds, and dish out eight assists, all of which still stand as career-highs. UCI was led in the game by Kevin Bland's 14 points.
The last time the two teams matched up in Irvine was Dec. 28, 1996, where Utah won a 77-50 decision.
Utah's top scorer and rebounder, senior center Luke Nevill (Perth, Australia), is coming off of his fifth double-double of the season with 25 points and 11 boards at Utah State. UC Irvine's top scorer is Eric Wise, tallying 11.6 points per game. He is followed closely by Bland's 11.4 ppg to go with a team-leading 6.6 rebounds per contest.
On paper, Utah dominates most pertinent statistical categories on both sides of the ball. The Utes are shooting 48.4% on the season while holding their opponents to less than 41% from the field. UCI is shooting 40% on the year while allowing its opposition to shoot almost 50%.
Players Mentioned
G
/ Men's Basketball
C
/ Men's BasketballUtah: 85, Cal Poly: 92 | Utah Basketball Postgame Press Conference
Friday, November 21
ESPN+ Feature | Utah Basketball's James Okonkwo
Thursday, November 20
Utah: 85, Purdue Fort Wayne: 77 | Utah Basketball Postgame Press Conference
Wednesday, November 19
Utah Basketball Media Availability | 11.17.25
Monday, November 17