Box Score SANTA BARBARA, Calif.– The Gauchos picked the perfect time to hit their longest win streak of the year ramping up to next week's Big West Tournament with a 70-61 win over CSUN Tuesday night. UCSB men's basketball (15-10, 7-5) has now won four games in a row and seven of its last eight since making the turn in conference play in early February.
ON THE STAT SHEET
- Senior forward Amadou Sow posted a season-high 26 points on 12-of-15 rebounds to go with seven rebounds and a steal. It was his second straight 25-point game and his fifth 20-point game of the season.
- Freshman Ajay Mitchell dropped double-digits for the fourth-straight game scoring 17 tonight going 6-of-9 from the field and 4-for-5 from the free-throw line. He also added four rebounds and three assists.
- The Gauchos dominated the game in all the areas they typically do including winning the rebound battle 32-24, outscoring the Matadors in the paint 40-26, and outshooting them 55.3%-46.3%. UCSB led for 38:39 minutes of the game.
- Junior guard Ajare Sanni returned to the Thunderdome floor for the first time since returning from injury knocking down a pair of threes and scoring eight total.
HOW IT HAPPENED
First Half (31-25 UCSB)
- Sow opened the game scoring the Gauchos first 10 points, going 5-for-5 on solely post moves and dunks down low and keeping his team ahead through the first five minutes.
- UCSB had opportunities to blow the game open but CSUN hung tough getting buckets when necessary to stay in the game despite the Gaucho defense holding it to just 42.3% shooting from the field.
- Sow ended the half with 16 on 7-of-8 shooting to send his team into the half up 31-25.
Second Half (70-61 UCSB)
- Sow, Mitchell, and a pair of and-ones from Josh Pierre-Louis fueled the Gauchos early in the 2nd period growing their lead to as much as 13 points, but once again the Matadors managed to chip away shooting a much better clip than the first half and knocking down a pair of timely threes.
- CSUN cut the lead to as little as six with just over two minutes to go but junior guard Josh Pierre-Louis knocked down a pair of free-throws and grabbed a crucial offensive rebound on back-to-back plays. The hustle board would lead to a three-point play by Mitchell that all but put the game away.
- Mitchell played nearly the entire half scoring 12 in the period and making three big free-throws down the stretch.
- Sow added 10 more points in the final period going 5-for-7 with three rebounds.
UP NEXT
UCSB closes out the season Thursday night against Hawai'i in a big game that marks WHITEOUT and Senior Night. The Gauchos want you to join them in wearing white and there will be a pregame ceremony celebrating the graduating class of 2022. This includes Jay Nagle, Sekou Toure, Robinson Idehen, Miles Norris, Amadou Sow, and manager Zhupou He.
