Nov. 23, 2005

Final Stats

IRVINE, Calif. (AP) - Aaron Fitzgerald had 25 points, six rebounds and four assists to lead UC Irvine to a 78-70 victory over Santa Clara Tuesday night.

Travis Niesen scored a game-high 26 points while Mitch Henke and Brody Angley added 12 points apiece for the Broncos (1-1).

Santa Clara returns to action Saturday night in a 7 p.m. tipoff against the University of the Pacific at the Leavey Center.

Nic Campbell added 18 points and Ross Schraeder had 13 points for the Anteaters (3-1). Schraeder made three shots from 3-point range to tie for second place in career 3-pointers at UC Irvine.

Irvine made its first 13 shots - including 10 3-pointers - to build a 36-20 lead with 10:48 left in the first half. Fitzgerald scored 14 points during that stretch.

Niesen made two free throws to narrow Santa Clara's deficit to 51-49 with 13:36 to play. But Campbell scored five points during a 7-0 run that extended the Anteaters' lead to 58-49 with 12:07 to play.

Irvine shot 52.9 percent overall, 60.9 percent from 3-point range.