New Mexico State

The UC Irvine men's basketball team will visit former Big West Conference rival New Mexico State as part of Bracket Buster Saturday, Feb. 21, it was announced Monday. The event features 46 mid-major schools from 11 conferences. Before the season, it might have been viewed as a chance for the Anteaters, coming off three straight 20-win seasons and two NIT appearances in the last three years, to impress the NCAA tournament selection committee. Now, however, it pits a pair of teams currently with .500 records, both fighting to stay in the top half of their respective conference standings.

Somehow, some way, Andrew McDonald is back behind center as a starting quarterback, and will be playing against a highly ranked team in a big-time venue. McDonald, the former Newport Harbor High standout who made his way from Arizona walk-on to Santa Ana College, will lead little New Mexico State at No. 15 Texas Saturday at 5 p.m. (PST, Longhorn Network) at Texas Memorial Stadium. Just how did McDonald get here? He threw all of three passes last year for the Aggies, who went 1-11.

WOMEN’S GOLF New Mexico State Invitational LAS CRUCES, N.M. — UC Irvine senior Jane Chin shot two-under-par 70 to top the leaderboard and help the Anteaters take the team lead Monday after 18 holes of the 54-hole event on the New Mexico State golf course. Chin is the only player to break par while freshman Joy Trotter is fifth (73), junior Patty Chawalitmetha and freshman Lalita Patipaksiri are both tied for 19th (75) for the Anteaters. UCI sophomore Hillary Packard (78)

Anteaters lose for seventh time in as many games this season against New Mexico State squad that had opened up at 0-6.IRVINE -- After her team fell to 0-7 with an 88-64 nonconference loss to New Mexico State on Wednesday night, UC Irvine women's basketball Coach Molly Tuter said she would never give up hope that the Anteaters could turn things around. She would, however, prefer her players give up hoping. And the sooner the better. "My team right now is hoping we're going to win; we're not expecting to win and going out there and making us win," Tuter said.

MEN'S BASKETBALL Orange Coast College 82, East L.A. College 81 GLENDORA - John Joyce made two free-throws with six seconds left to lift the OCC men's basketball team to a thrilling victory Saturday night in the Neil Edwards Classic. Joyce finished with 12 points off the bench in 15 minutes, hitting five of six from the field for the Pirates (3-2). Jordan Pellum led OCC with 14 points and Marquis Ransom added 11. Jaree Crawford led East L.A. (4-2) with 19 points.

UC Irvine men's basketball player Mike Efevberha has been suspended indefinitely by Anteater head coach Pat Douglass. "At this time, I have suspended Mike indefinitely for violating team and department rules," Douglass said in a released statement. Efevberha, a sophomore wing from Pomona, is averaging 11.1 points and 2.6 rebounds through 24 games this season. He has started 21 contests and leads UCI with 40 three-point baskets. Senior Matt Okoro is expected to move into that spot in the starting lineup Thursday.

The UC Irvine men?s and women?s basketball teams will be introduced to the UCI students tonight as part of SHOCKTOBERFEST at approximately 9:30 at the Bren Events Center. The basketball portion of the event, which includes a series of activities in and around the arena, will feature introductions of the men?s and women?s teams, a battle-of-the-sexes three-point-shooting competition and the annual dunk contest. Only students with wristbands will be admitted. Students may pick up wristbands today after 2 p.m. at the Bren Center.

The UC Irvine women's volleyball team was awarded its second straight berth into the 64-team NCAA tournament and will open Friday against Arizona at the University of San Diego. The Anteaters (18-10), who tied for fourth in the Big West Conference, were among six Big West teams to receive invitations. Arizona (18-10) will be the home team for Friday's 6 p.m. match, the winner of which will advance to meet either San Diego (22-4) or New Mexico State (30-2)

Defend the Bren, a marketing slogan turned rallying cry for the UC Irvine men's basketball team last season, has already been rendered useless by Coach Russell Turner's Anteaters, who have dropped half of their six home games. But at least one UCI basketball unit can still give authenticity to the phrase. Coach Doug Oliver's UCI women's team defeated visiting New Mexico State, 75-52, in a nonconference game Wednesday to improve to 2-0 at the Bren Events Center this season. It broke a string of nine straight road contests for the Anteaters (6-5)

Somehow, some way, Andrew McDonald is back behind center as a starting quarterback, and will be playing against a highly ranked team in a big-time venue. McDonald, the former Newport Harbor High standout who made his way from Arizona walk-on to Santa Ana College, will lead little New Mexico State at No. 15 Texas Saturday at 5 p.m. (PST, Longhorn Network) at Texas Memorial Stadium. Just how did McDonald get here? He threw all of three passes last year for the Aggies, who went 1-11.

MEN'S BASKETBALL Orange Coast College 82, East L.A. College 81 GLENDORA - John Joyce made two free-throws with six seconds left to lift the OCC men's basketball team to a thrilling victory Saturday night in the Neil Edwards Classic. Joyce finished with 12 points off the bench in 15 minutes, hitting five of six from the field for the Pirates (3-2). Jordan Pellum led OCC with 14 points and Marquis Ransom added 11. Jaree Crawford led East L.A. (4-2) with 19 points.

Former Orange Coast College baseball standout Bijan Rademacher signed Wednesday with the Chicago Cubs organization to make it five of six Pirates drafted who have signed professional contracts the last two weeks. Rademacher, selected in the 13th round (No. 404 overall) in the Major League BaseballFirst-Year Player Draft earlier this month, hit .349 with seven home runs and 49 runs batted in as a freshman for the Pirates in 2012. He began his collegiate career at Cal State Fullerton.

Orange Coast College continued to dominate the list of locals chosen in the Major League First-Year Player Draft, as six players who competed for the Pirates, including four during the 2012 season, were among eight selected on the third and final day on Wednesday. Stefan Sabol, Boog Powell, Joel Licon and Chris Carlson were members of the 2012 OCC squad that reached the four-team state championship tournament taken in rounds 16 through 40. Former Pirates Ryan Dunn and Calvin Drummond were also selected, as was Mark Trentacosta, a junior on the 2012 UCI team, and UCI signee Andrew Potter.

"Super" Mario Smith has decided where he will run with the football in college. Smith has signed a national letter of intent with the Southwestern Oklahoma State University football program, said Costa Mesa High Coach Wally Grant. Smith decided to join the Division II program from Weatherford, Okla., after he rushed for 2,155 yards and 28 touchdowns on 197 carries in his only season with the Mustangs. Sacramento State and New Mexico State showed interest in the elusive Smith.

Former Newport Harbor High quarterback Andrew McDonald, a two-time first-team all-conference performer the last two seasons at Santa Ana College, has committed to continue his football career at New Mexico State University, Sailors Coach Jeff Brinkley said Thursday. McDonald, who walked on at Arizona before triggering the Santa Ana offense, completed 169 of 273 passes for 2,033 yards and 22 touchdowns as a sophomore last fall. He threw seven interceptions and his 61.9% completion rate ranked ninth in the state.

WOMEN’S GOLF New Mexico State invitational LAS CRUCES, N.M. — UC Irvine junior Hillary Packard finished third individually to lead the Anteaters to a second-place team finish in the 54-hole event completed Wednesday at the New Mexico State Golf Course. Packard finished with consecutive rounds of one-under-par 71 and compiled a three-round score of 215, nine shots off overall winner Christine Wong of San Diego State. Sophomore Joy Trotter (fourth, 217)