UC Irvine wins NIT opener against Northern Colorado, 82-72

UC Irvine's men's basketball team won their first-round game in the NIT tournament, defeating Northern Colorado 82-72. The Anteaters, who are the top seed in the tournament, came back from a nine-point deficit in the second half to secure the victory. Devin Tillis led the team with 24 points, while Bent Leuchten added 17 points and 10 rebounds. The game took place at UCI's Bren Events Center on March 19, 2025. The Anteaters had a tough start as they were still recovering from a recent loss in the Big West Tournament final. They faced challenges early on but managed to rally, thanks in part to strong performances from Tillis and Leuchten. UCI will move on to play Jacksonville State in the second round on Sunday night. Coach Russell Turner acknowledged the emotional difficulty of the previous loss but praised his team's resilience and effort in the second half of this game. Northern Colorado, who had one of the best field-goal percentages in the nation, struggled against UCI's strong defense. The Anteaters were able to limit their shooting percentage to 40.3% during the game. Key contributions also came from Justin Hohn, who scored 15 points. The game featured several lead changes and intense moments. UCI overcame an early lead by Northern Colorado and finished strong, making all six of their free throws in the last moments to seal the win.