IRVINE, Calif. (Interstat) — UC Irvine held off a second-half rally to defeat UC Santa Barbara 64-60 in a men’s basketball game Saturday at Bren Events Center.

The Anteaters led 32-23 at halftime. The Gauchos, led by Colin Smith’s 16 points, closed the gap after the break but could not complete the comeback. UC Irvine’s Jovan Jester scored 13 of his team-high 13 points in the first half.

UC Irvine forced 18 turnovers and made 17 free throws, overcoming a 1-for-10 shooting performance from 3-point range. UC Santa Barbara shot 44% from beyond the arc but managed only two assists.

Attendance was 4,377. UC Irvine improved to 20-10. UC Santa Barbara fell to 18-12.