Box Score SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. - Through the opening half the UCSB Gauchos were able to keep Cal Poly at arms length.
It was the second half that left them black and blue at the end of the first Blue-Green Rivalry game of the season.
"We just don't have a defensive answer. We've got to have somebody, we need more than one, that takes pride in the defensive end," said head coach Bonnie Henrickson.
Coco Miller scored 23 points, knocking down seven of 13 from beyond the arc, but the Gauchos had no answer for the Poly duo of Dynn and Lynn Laupepe. Dynn dropped a game-high 29 points with eight rebounds and five assists, while Lynn scored 26 with nine rebounds to power the Mustang comeback.
UCSB (5-9, 0-1) was outscored 48-28 in the paint, and out-rebounded by a 47-28 margin. After leading by as much as nine points in the first quarter, and eight points in the second and third, the Gauchos allowed runs of 12-0 and 13-1 as Cal Poly galloped away in the final 14:30.
"Give them credit, they just punched us in the mouth. Rivalry games are emotion, and passion, and pride. And they got us," Henrickson said.
Nearly half of the UCSB shots came from beyond the arc, with a season-high 34 attempts of the 71 from the field coming from downtown. The 11 makes equalled the November 30th outing against Santa Clara for most triples. Conversely, with Poly pounding the paint the Mustangs enjoyed a 30 to nine advantage in free throw attempts.
"We secured six [offensive rebounds], and our point guard had three of them. You have guys playing 30 minutes with no offensive rebounds, we shoot 35 percent, there's plenty to be had. But that's toughness, it's effort, it's energy, and we're stuck in mud," said Henrickson.
Onome Jemerigbe had 17 points and five rebounds, with five assists, while Drea Toler scored nine points and dealt five assists.
The Gauchos have a day of practice, before heading to face the CSU-Fullerton Titans on the road on Saturday at 5 PM.
"We're trying to beat everybody, and that's hard. Losing is easy. Winning is hard, it's easy to lose. We've got to have some people develop a rash from it and not accept it," Henrickson said.
