IRVINE, Calif. (AP) Tommy Rutherford scored 18 points and grabbed 10 rebounds and UC Irvine picked up its sixth win in its last seven games, cruising past CSU Northridge, 77-56 in a Big West Conference battle Wednesday night.
The victory was the Anteaters eighth straight win over the Matadors.
Rutherford converted a layup and dunked with 4:07 left in the first half to give UC Irvine (12-14, 7-3) a 16-point advantage, 26-10, but the Matadors rallied to trail by just eight, 28-20 at the break. Rutherford capped an 11-3 run out of the break that put the Anteaters back in front by 16, 39-23, and they cruised from there.
Evan Leonard finished with 15 points and UC Irvine shot 31 of 61 from the field (51 percent), including 6 of 18 from distance.
Tavrion Dawson finished with 18 points to lead the Matadors (5-19, 2-8). Lyrik Schreiner and Terrell Gomez each scored 11 points and Schreiner grabbed 10 rebounds.
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