IRVINE, Calif. – Daman Starring scored 25 points on 7 of 15 shooting including a perfect 10 for 10 from the free-throw line to lead UC Irvine past Nevada in a comfortable 78-64 season opening victory Saturday.
Starring added seven rebounds and two assists to his 25-point night and two other players scored in double figures for the Anteaters with Michael Wilder and Alex Young each scoring 12.
Both squads lived at the free-throw line with 44 fouls called in the game which led to 69 total free throws taken between the schools. UC Irvine was 23 of 36 from the line while the Wolf Pack hit 24 of 33.
UC Irvine led 41-35 at the break but went on a 17-4 run to start the second half capped off by Young's jumper with 12:57 to play giving the Anteaters a 58-39 advantage.
Malik Story had 21 points in the loss for Nevada.
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