IRVINE — The UC Irvine men’s basketball team got what it was looking for before going on a 13-day break, a second Big West Conference victory.

The Anteaters overcame a slow start and a halftime deficit against Cal State Northridge before emerging with an 85-71 victory on Saturday night at the Bren Events Center.

UCI (7-4 overall, 2-0 Big West) was coming off a 73-60 win against visiting UC Riverside in its conference opener on Thursday night.

“These two Big West games at home, the schedule broke our way,” UCI coach Russell Turner said. “On the road, I don’t know if we can win this game, because we had to come back to do it.”

Derin Saran scored 17 points, including nine in the last five minutes, and grabbed seven rebounds, and Kyle Evans contributed 12 points, 16 rebounds and three bl

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