LAS VEGAS, NEV. – The UC Santa Barbara Men's Basketball team claimed the inaugural Resorts World Las Vegas Championship after defeating Seattle U 74-71. 13 offensive rebounds and shooting 88 percent from the free throw line helped the Gauchos take down the Redhawks, who were riding a four-game winning streak coming into the contest.

HOW IT HAPPENED
Both teams started quickly as they traded baskets at the start of the contest. The Gauchos made their first four shots of the contest to help them to a two-point lead at the first media timeout. UC Santa Barbara and Seattle U continued to trade baskets with both teams looking to get out and run. A small 5-0 by the Redhawks gave them a three-point lead, but it did not last long.
 
At the midpoint of the opening half, Zion Sensley started to propel the Gauchos in front. He made his first four shots, with three of them coming from beyond the arc, and got the Gauchos back out in front 23-20. Following Sensley's surge, the teams went back to trading baskets. Both teams were playing with pace, pushing the ball up and down the floor, but then the Gauchos started to build more of lead. The Gauchos' three-point shooting and a three-point play by CJ Shaw helped Santa Barbara grow their lead to as much as eight.
 
The half continued in a back-and-forth affair with the Gauchos taking a 36-32 lead to the break.
 
The second half opened with Seattle going on an 11-2 run, giving them their first lead since the 10-minute mark in the first half, 45-38. The Gauchos continued to chip away by grabbing offensive boards. During one possession, the Gauchos grabbed four consecutive offensive rebounds that ended up leading to a score.
 
Midway through the second half, the Gauchos fought back and tied the game. A three-point heave from Sensley at the end of the shot clock banked in to tie the game at 50 all. After turning the Redhawks away on their possession, another offensive rebound led to a Colin Smith layup and putting the Gauchos back in front. Those two baskets were a part of a 7-1 run, putting the Gauchos up by five.
Down the stretch, the Gauchos continued to hold their lead between three and five points in the last three minutes. Free throw shooting was key down the stretch, and the Gauchos emerged victorious, defeating Seattle 74-71 and claiming the inaugural Resorts World Las Vegas Classic Championship.
 
NOTABLES

• Seattle came into the contest ranked 11^th in the country in three-point percentage, shooting it at a 42.1 percent clip. The Gauchos held them to just three made threes and 27 percent from beyond the arc.
• UC Santa Barbara made nine threes in its last two games; today, they made eight and shot 38 percent from deep.
• After some free throw woes to begin the season, the Gauchos corrected that this weekend, shooting 88 percent from the charity stripe, going 50-for-57.
• Miro Little made 18 consecutive free throws, having not missed since the first half of the Nevada game.
• The Gauchos grabbed double-digit offensive rebounds for the eighth straight game, recording 13 against the Redhawks.

 
UP NEXT
UC Santa Barbara will bring a 6-2 record into conference action as they host Long Beach State on Thursday, Dec. 4 in The Thunderdome. Gaucho fans are encouraged to wear Blue for the Gauchos Blue Out. The game will tip off at 6 p.m. and will be broadcast on ESPN+ with live stats available.