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* UC IRVINE (16-2, 8-0) at LONG BEACH STATE (12-9, 5-3), 9, ESPN2, KPLS (830), KUCI-FM (88.9)--Long-suffering Irvine is the feel-good story of the season. The Anteaters, who beat defending Big West champion Utah State Wednesday to take sole possession of first place, have a conference player-of-the-year candidate in junior guard Jerry Green (17.9 points, 4.6 rebounds). This could have been a really big game had the 49ers not inexplicably dropped an 11-point lead in the final 8:41 to UC Santa Barbara on Thursday. Instead of a clear lock on third place and a shot at moving up in the standings, the 49ers sit half a game ahead of Pacific and a full game ahead of Boise State and Santa Barbara.