Gauchos one and done at Big West Tournament as they lose in overtime to CS Northridge
HENDERSON, Nevada. - UCSB star junior Ajay Mitchell scored a game-high 36 points but he and the Gauchos ran out of gas in overtime as they lost 87-84 to Cal State Northridge in a first round game at the Big West Tournament.
The Gauchos finish a disappointing season at 16-15.
UCSB did not make a single field goal in the extra five minutes as they scored all five of their points on free throws.
A three-point attempt by Ben Shtolzberg was off the mark as time ran out on the Gauchos season.
Mitchell scored 19 first half points while Yohan Traore added 14 before the break and the Gauchos led 39-38 at halftime.
Traore finished with 17 points.
The Gauchos got down 50-41 early in the second half but scored 9 straight points to tie the game at 50 on a three-pointer by Cole Anderson.
The Matadors jumped back in front by 9 with 10:14 left on a Dionte Bostick bucket.
But again the Gauchos came back, Mitchell drilled a three-pointer as did Matija Belic and UCSB trailed 67-66.
UCSB took a 70-69 lead with 6:25 left on a jumper by Jason Fontenet.
With 2:52 left the Matadors jumped back in front 77-72 on free throws by Keonte Jones.
The freshman Fontenet made a three-pointer with :51 seconds left and Mitchell made two clutch free throws with 11 seconds to go and the Gauchos got the game into overtime.
But they missed all 11 of their shots in the extra session to end the season.
