SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – The UC Santa Barbara Women's Basketball team took on California Saturday afternoon at home, experiencing their first loss of the season as the Golden Bears came away with a 79-47 win.
FROM HEAD COACH RENEE JIMENEZ
"They made it hard on us, but we also thought that we didn't expect to get open shots early. So we missed some where we tried to get to the rim and take a better one," Jimenez said. "And they're big. They're big. I mean, they're a Power Four ACC team. Like they have big bodies in that conference. So we got to the rim, they just balled up on us and that made it hard on us. But I did think we got great looks, and we picked a bad night to not shoot well, but I did think we got some good looks down the stretch."
HOW IT HAPPENED
The first quarter was dry for both teams, as it took 1:30 for either team to score. Berkeley was on the board first with a layup, then another minute later, Maddie Naro tied it 2-2 with a layup of her own. Five minutes in, Naro scored two more points and the Gauchos were up 4-2. Cal went on a ten-point run, which Naro interrupted with another two points before the Golden Bears ended the period at 14-6.
Berkeley found a significant lead early in the second and carried it to the end, finishing the half at 36-16. Ten points were made by the Gauchos, as they went 100% in free throws for the period. The third period also skewed for the Golden Bears, who finished it 61-29. Maddie Naro collected six more points and went four-for-seven.
The Gauchos had their most productive quarter in the fourth, making 18 points. Flores went three-for-four and made nine points. California closed out the game 79-47 for their fifth win of the season.
STAT RECAP
Naro led the Gauchos, making 16 points and seven buckets. Karisma Flores also reached double digits, making 13 points to follow up. Both Flores and Mauriana Hashemian-Orr went 4-for-4 in free throws. Nicole Steiner grabbed 11 rebounds for her highest tally this season, beating her previous high by four.
UP NEXT
The Gauchos continue at home versus Cal Lutheran on Tuesday, Nov. 17, and Utah Tech on Friday, Nov. 20.
