CANCÚN, Mexico (Interstat) — In a defensive struggle defined by missed shots and frequent turnovers, the UC Irvine Anteaters grinded out a 64-52 victory over the South Dakota State Jackrabbits in a men’s NCAA Division I basketball game Wednesday as part of the 2025-26 MBB Cancun Challenge.

Playing before an announced crowd of 400 at a neutral site in Mexico, both teams struggled to find any offensive rhythm. The Anteaters, however, leveraged a significant advantage at the free-throw line to slowly pull away from the Jackrabbits and even both teams’ season records at 4-4.

The game was a stark contrast to the high-scoring affair the pregame over/under of 149.5 had suggested. Instead, the contest was characterized by frigid shooting. South Dakota State finished the night shooting just 31.7 percent from the floor, connecting on only 19 of 60 attempts. Their struggles were even more pronounced from beyond the arc, where they made just 4 of 23 three-point attempts.

UC Irvine was not much more efficient, shooting 38.8 percent on 19-of-49 shooting and just 5 of 21 from three-point range. The decisive difference came at the charity stripe. The Anteaters attempted 28 free throws, making 21, while the Jackrabbits went to the line only 17 times, converting 10.

The first half set the tone for the evening. South Dakota State managed only 22 points before halftime, while UC Irvine built a narrow 29-22 lead. The Anteaters maintained control throughout the second half, outscoring the Jackrabbits 35-30 to secure the 12-point win.

Advanced metrics painted a clear picture of the offensive woes, particularly for South Dakota State. The Jackrabbits scored just 52 points on 74 possessions, resulting in an offensive rating of 70.2. UC Irvine was more efficient with an offensive rating of 88.5, scoring 64 points on 72 possessions.

UC Irvine’s victory was a balanced team effort. Jurian Dixon led the Anteaters with 13 points, while Tama Isaac, Kyle Evans, Andre Henry and Elijah Chol each chipped in 10 points. Evans and Chol were also forces defensively, combining for three of the team’s six blocked shots.

For South Dakota State, Trey Buchanan provided a spark off the bench, scoring a team-high 12 points in just 16 minutes of action. Joe Sayler played 31 minutes but was held to eight points.

Despite the sloppy play that included 33 combined turnovers (Interstat) — 18 by UC Irvine and 15 by South Dakota State (Interstat) — the game was tight in several statistical categories. Both teams finished with nine assists, nine steals, and a nearly identical number of points in the paint, with South Dakota State holding a slight 30-28 edge. The Jackrabbits also capitalized more on turnovers, scoring 17 points off them compared to 14 for the Anteaters, and dominated fast-break points 14-5.

The loss extends a difficult stretch for South Dakota State, which has now dropped two straight games at the Cancun Challenge after a 75-52 defeat to Utah Valley on Tuesday. UC Irvine also entered the game looking to rebound from a Tuesday loss, having fallen 57-45 to New Mexico State.

According to Interstat’s ELO system, UC Irvine was projected as the favorite with a 70.90 percent probability to win. The Anteaters also covered the pregame spread, which was set at -2.5. The total score of 116 fell well below the over/under line of 149.5.

South Dakota State will look to get back on track when it travels to face Northern Arizona on Dec. 3. UC Irvine’s next contest is on the road at San Jose State on Nov. 30.