IRVINE -- The last time UC Irvine basketball coach Russell Turner had a team this experienced, the Anteaters found themselves recording a first-round upset of Kansas State in the NCAA Tournament.
The perils of playing in a one-big league remain when it comes to chasing March Madness goals, but the Anteaters have been the most consistent program in the Big West Conference during Turner's tenure and they are again viewed as the team to beat according to the preseason coaches' poll.
UCI returns four starters - Justin Hohn, Andre Henry, Devin Tillis, and Bent Leuchten - from a team that won the Big West regular-season title last season (the Anteaters' seventh in the past 10 years) before falling to Long Beach State in the Big West Tournament semifinals. It's the kind of roster experience UCI boasted the last two times it reached the NCAA Tournament (2015 and 2019).
"I like this team. We've got as veteran a team as we've had since that 2019 team, maybe since the 2020 year," Turner said during the Big West's season preview show on the Field of 68 last month. "I really am grateful to the veterans that we've got, who have returned, for the investment they've made in our program and in each other, and in this university. We have a chance, I think, to be good.
"Sometimes you have to go through some pain to grow into what you can become. And losing in the semifinals of the conference tournament last year to a really good Long Beach team who had a great effort, that's a tough thing to experience for any group, and hopefully we can use that as fuel to be better when that time comes this year."
Hohn led the Anteaters in scoring (12.6 ppg) last season and has evolved from a point guard to more of an off-the-ball threat the past few years. A second-team all-conference selection last season, Turner expects big things from him.
"I'm super excited for him," Turner said. "He's a versatile, two-way player who I know is going to have a great year. He's gotten better and better, and he's gotten more and more fun to coach, like most guys do in our program. The growth that I've seen from him is tremendous."
Henry begins his fifth year in the program as the reigning Big West Best Defensive Player of the Year, but the graduate student has evolved into an offensive weapon too, averaging 10.3 ppg and shooting a team-best 42.1% from 3-point range last season.
"The guys who win that (DPOY) award have a special place in my heart, because I know the type of commitment and toughness and consistency it takes to perform at that level on the defensive end," Turner said. "It's special to be perceived that way by others, and Andre has earned that. He's become an outstanding offensive player and he's a versatile ball handler and an underrated passer."
Tillis, a redshirt senior, remains an invaluable piece of the puzzle at both ends of the court. Due to the balance on the roster, the redshirt senior often blends in on the stat sheet, but he can provide game-changing plays.
"We've got a crew of guys who all can pass. All four of those returning starters that I've got are excellent, unselfish players who see the game and make others better," Turner said. "Devin doesn't get the recognition, in my opinion, that maybe he should, in part, because he's been limited by injuries, but I think he's going to have a huge year for us. He can be one of the top players in the conference, both on the offensive side and the defensive side."
The 7-foot-1 Leuchten rounds out the core four and provides a dominant physical presence as a rim protector and a post threat on offense.
"He's had dominant nights, but he's also struggled some with injuries and with maybe conditioning a little bit, and maybe the fact that I haven't played him as much as I plan to play him this year," said Turner, whose team hosts Division III Chapman in its season opener on Monday at 8 p.m.
Defense and rebounding have been foundational aspects of UCI's success under Turner, and the template remains the same. The Anteaters ranked sixth in the nation last season in points allowed on a per-possession basis.
"We've got great people who are hard-working, underdog-type guys who have a gritty edge to them," Turner said. "That often for us translates into being able to recruit more defensive-minded players. We've been able to uncover value on the defensive end in recruiting, and so we've been able to turn that into success."
Beyond the returning starters, graduate student Ofure Ujadughele returns for his sixth year as an Anteater while redshirt junior Langston Redfield now has three full years with the program under his belt.
After sitting out a year, redshirt sophomore Elijah Chol and redshirt freshmen Jurian Dixon and Ben Egbo should all have a chance to contribute.
There are six new faces (two Division I transfers and four freshmen) on the roster: Kyle Evans, Myles Che, Berk Can Akin, Torian Lee, Jovan Jester Jr., and Tishan Ahir.
Evans, a junior forward transfer from Colorado State, and Che, a sophomore guard transfer from Chattanooga, provide valuable Division I experience.
Akin hails from Istanbul, Turkey and has played in the FIBA U18 and U20 European Championships. Lee, whose sister Déja Lee stars for the UCI women's team, played for Canada's U18 national team over the summer. Jester was a two-time Pacific League MVP and All-CIF second-team selection at Pasadena High, while Ahir starred at Crescenta Valley High.
UCI will play 10 of its 12 nonconference games away from home, including three games in Lethbridge, Alberta at the Western Slam MTE later this month. The Anteaters' true road games include Oregon State, Loyola Marymount, Northern Iowa, Belmont, Duquesne, Cal Baptist and Weber State.
The top challengers to UCI in conference play are expected to be UC Santa Barbara, UC San Diego, UC Riverside and UC Davis.