Thursday, March 11
Anaheim, CA
UC Riverside
58
vs
66
Idaho (Quarterfinals)
Photo by: Phil Ellsworth
Vandals Win Free Throw War, Game 66-58
3/11/2004 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
The UC Riverside Highlanders' season came to an end Thursday with a 66-58 loss to the Idaho Vandals in the second round of the Big West Tournament at the Anaheim Convention Center.
UCR finishes the season at 11-17. Idaho moves to 14-15.
Senior guard Kevin Butler had a team-high 17 points in his final game as a Highlander. Junior forward Vili Morton had his second consecutive double-double with 15 points and 12 rebounds. Tyrone Hayes led Idaho with 22 points and Dwayne Williams had 13.
Free throws were the key to the game, as Idaho was 19-of-21 (90.5%) from the line and the Highlanders were 15-of-27 (55.6%). Hayes was 10-of-10 from the line for the Vandals.
UCR got off to a slow start, allowing the Vandals to jump out to a 9-2 lead in the first 3:59. Idaho added to the lead, building it to 12 at 23-11 with 11:16 left. The Highlanders chopped into the lead and entered halftime trailing by seven at 34-27 as Morton threw down a dunk on a rebound of a Butler miss.
The Highlanders were never able to get closer than four points in the second half. Rickey Porter drained a three with 3:37 left to cut the margin to four at 56-52 and then got the ball back following a Morton block of David Radlovic. But Butler missed two free throws and Hayes drained a pair to build the league back to six. The Vandals hit eight free throws in the final minute to build the margin to 10, before Nate Carter's layup with 14 seconds left broke the string.
The game marked the final appearance in a Highlander uniform for Butler, Ted Bell, Mark Peters and James Guth.
UCR finishes the season at 11-17. Idaho moves to 14-15.
Senior guard Kevin Butler had a team-high 17 points in his final game as a Highlander. Junior forward Vili Morton had his second consecutive double-double with 15 points and 12 rebounds. Tyrone Hayes led Idaho with 22 points and Dwayne Williams had 13.
Free throws were the key to the game, as Idaho was 19-of-21 (90.5%) from the line and the Highlanders were 15-of-27 (55.6%). Hayes was 10-of-10 from the line for the Vandals.
UCR got off to a slow start, allowing the Vandals to jump out to a 9-2 lead in the first 3:59. Idaho added to the lead, building it to 12 at 23-11 with 11:16 left. The Highlanders chopped into the lead and entered halftime trailing by seven at 34-27 as Morton threw down a dunk on a rebound of a Butler miss.
The Highlanders were never able to get closer than four points in the second half. Rickey Porter drained a three with 3:37 left to cut the margin to four at 56-52 and then got the ball back following a Morton block of David Radlovic. But Butler missed two free throws and Hayes drained a pair to build the league back to six. The Vandals hit eight free throws in the final minute to build the margin to 10, before Nate Carter's layup with 14 seconds left broke the string.
The game marked the final appearance in a Highlander uniform for Butler, Ted Bell, Mark Peters and James Guth.
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Monday, May 04
UCR Student-Athletes cheer on our students.
Friday, May 01
UCR Athletics Director Introductory Full Press Conference
Tuesday, March 24
Athletics Director Greg Paules Introductory Presentation Recap
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