Two UCI Players Suspended for Exhibition Games

IRVINE — Senior Chris Brown, the nation’s top three-point shooter last season, and junior transfer Michael Tate, who has been getting rave preseason reviews from UC Irvine Coach Rod Baker, have been suspended from Anteater exhibition games.

Brown, who averaged almost five three-pointers a game last season and led the team with a 17.4-point scoring average, will miss Irvine’s game against Five Star Sports at 7:30 tonight in the Bren Center because he missed team study sessions. Baker has yet to determine Brown’s status for Tuesday night’s exhibition against Cairns, Australia.

Tate, a 6-foot-4 forward from Ventura College, will miss both exhibition games for “failure to adhere to team rules,” according to Baker, who would not elaborate.

Baker, 23-63 in three seasons at Irvine, is counting on Brown and Tate to play key roles if the Anteaters are to rebound from last season’s 4-14 Big West record.