Box Score SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – Facing UC San Diego in its Big West road opener on New Year's Eve, the UC Santa Barbara women's basketball team had its three-game win streak snapped in a 68-58 defeat.
The Gauchos (8-4, 0-1) still own the second-best overall record in the conference, while the Tritons improve to 4-8 overall, 1-1 Big West.
ON THE STAT SHEET
- With the Triton defense focusing in on senior center Ila Lane (5 points), the Gauchos were led by season-highs off the bench from guards Anya Choice and Jessica Grant, both scoring 15. The freshman Grant continued to impress with her outside touch, knocking down 5-of-9 threes. Choice went 5-of-12 from the field and knocked down two threes of her own.
- Senior guard Alexis Tucker was UCSB's other double-digit scorer, ending her day with 10 points.
- As she has been all season, sophomore guard Alyssa Marin (5 assists) was effective distributing the ball, notching her fifth game of at least five or more assists while putting in six points.
- UCSB shot 8-of-22 (.364) from beyond-the-arc, just one shy of a season-high for three-point makes. However, UCSD shot 48.2 percent to the Gauchos' 37.7 and turned the ball over two fewer times.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- It was a pretty close first half with UCSD maintaining a slight edge throughout. Choice hit an early three and put in another layup in the first, going on to end the opening half with a team-high seven points.
- Lane was held in check early and often, not even attempting a shot until the final minutes of the half. A buzzer beating three by UCSD's Junae Mahan sent them into halftime leading 32-26.
- The Tritons held on to their lead with a pair of early second half threes, but Grant answered back by swishing two straight to keep UCSB within striking distance.
- The Gauchos fought back to take a late third quarter lead 42-41 on an Alexis Tucker driving layup. Mahan stayed hot for UCSD though, putting in timely buckets everytime the Gauchos looked to be making a run. She finished with a game-high 16 points on 7-of-9 from the field.
- As UCSB made one last surge in the fourth, Marin hit a pull-up jumper to make it a one-point game 54-53 with 3:34 to go. The Tritons had an answer once again though, embarking on a game-sealing 11-2 run.
UP NEXT
The Gauchos will open the new year next Saturday, Jan. 7 at the Thunderdome against Cal Poly at 4:00 p.m. on Superhero Day.
