UC Irvine clinches Big West title outright, top seed for tourney

SAN LUIS OBISPO — Evan Leonard had a season-high 22 points as UC Irvine beat Cal Poly 82-76 on Thursday night to clinch the Big West Conference championship outright, the first time the Anteaters have ever claimed back-to-back titles.
Eyassu Worku had 18 points for UCI (20-10 overall, 12-2 Big West), which earned its fifth straight victory. Tommy Rutherford added 16 points and Brad Greene had a career-high seven blocked shots.
Worku went 3 for 4 from the free-throw line in the final minute