SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. — In an exciting overtime matchup, Devin Tillis scored 25 points, helping UC Irvine secure a narrow victory against Cal Poly with a final score of 98-89 on Thursday night.

Alongside his scoring, Tillis pulled down 10 rebounds, contributing significantly to the Anteaters’ performance as they improved their record to 12-2 overall and 2-0 in the Big West Conference. Bent Leuchten also made a strong impact by scoring 24 points, shooting 50% from the field, and excelling at the free-throw line with 12 successful shots out of 14 attempts. He also recorded 11 rebounds and blocked three shots. Myles Che added to the Anteaters’ tally with 22 points, making 9 of his 16 field-goal attempts, and was effective at the charity stripe with three out of four successful free throws.

During overtime, UC Irvine took control of the game as Leuchten and Tillis executed key three-point plays within a span of just 34 seconds, expanding their lead to 88-82 a little over two minutes into the extra period, and they maintained the lead for the remainder of the match.

On the other side, the Mustangs of Cal Poly, who fell to 6-9 on the season and remain winless in conference play at 0-3, were led by Aaron Price Jr. He ended the game with 16 points and eight rebounds. Jarred Hyder also had a notable game, contributing 15 points, six rebounds, and seven assists, while Owen Koonce chipped in with 13 points and six rebounds along with two steals.

The Mustangs managed to force the game into overtime thanks to a clutch three-pointer by Isaac Jessup that leveled the score at 80 in the closing moments of regulation, setting the stage for an intense overtime session.