Anaheim, CA -- (Sports Network) - Michael Hunter posted 17 points to lift the fifth-seeded UC Irvine Anteaters to a thrilling 57-56 victory over the fourth- seeded Pacific Tigers in the quarterfinal round of the Big West Conference Tournament.

Darren Fells finished with 11 points and 13 rebounds for UC Irvine (17-15), which will take on top-seeded UC Santa Barbara in Friday's semifinal round.

Anthony Brown scored 12 points and Chad Troyer added 10 points in the loss for Pacific (21-10).

Hunter scored 14 points in the first half, and UC Irvine owned a 30-25 lead at intermission.

Fells hit a pair of free throws with 3:33 remaining to give the Anteaters a 55-44 advantage. Although the Tigers then closed the game on a 12-2 run, UC Irvine never lost the lead.

The Anteaters only connected on 39.5 percent of their field goal attempts in the clash, but they managed to limit the Tigers to 36.0 percent shooting.

UC Irvine has never won the Big West Conference Tournament. The Anteaters knocked off Long Beach State by a 77-63 in the first round of this tournament on Wednesday.