SANTA BARBARA, Calif. - The UC Santa Barbara Women's Basketball team ended the regular season with a 53-46 loss at UC Riverside. The Gauchos were led by Skylar Burke who recorded a double-double with 10 points and 11 rebounds.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The game started slow for both sides, but quickly changed as the teams traded a few baskets a side. After the Highlanders took a 9-4 lead both teams went into a four minute drought without a basket. The next points were free throws by Alyssa Marin who cut the lead to three. That was as close as the Gauchos would get before the quarter ended.
The Gauchos continued to battle and continually cut the Highlander lead to one possession but were un able to ever tie or take the lead. At the break the Gauchos would trail by five. A three-pointer by Jessica Grant would cut the lead to such.
The third quarter was more of the same as the teams traded baskets but again the Gauchos could not string together a stretch to tie or take the lead. Santa Barbara pulled within two after another Jessica Grant three. The Gauchos were unable to sustain the momentum they had built and trailed by five as they headed to the fourth quarter.
UC Riverside dominated most of the opening part of the fourth quarter building their lead to as much as nine. But again the Gauchos fought back and cut the lead to two with just over two minutes remaining after Skylar Burke scored on a floating jump shot. The UC Santa Barbara would stall out and could not inch any closer. The Gauchos ended up falling 53-46.
LOOKING AT THE NUMBERS
- With her 10-point, 11-rebound performance Skylar Burke recorded her second double-double of the season.Â
- Zoe Borter scored nine points off the bench and made four of her first five baskets.
- Jessica Grant was the only Gaucho to make a three-point shot in the game. The sophomore was 3-for-7 from deep.Â
UP NEXT
The Gauchos will gear up for The Big West Championships. UC Santa Barbara is locked in on the No. 6 seed and will play No. 7 seed Long Beach State on Wednesday, March 13. The Gauchos and Beach will tip off at 2:30 p.m.