Cal Poly women’s basketball edges UCSB to open up the Big West Basketball Championships.
HENDERSON, Nevada. -No. 8 seed Cal Poly outlasted fifth-seeded UC Santa Barbara with a final score of 56-54 on Wednesday in the first round of the 2025 Big West Women's Basketball Championship, presented by Credit Union 1, marked a thrilling opening contest from Lee's Family Forum in Henderson, Nev..
The Mustangs improve to 14-17 and advance to take on No. 4 seed UC San Diego in the second round on Thursday at Noon. Meanwhile, the Gauchos close the year at 18-13 under the direction of first-year head coach Renee Jimenez.
Sierra Lichtie delivered a standout performance for the Mustangs, leading with 17 points and excelling at the line with a 7-for-8 effort. The redshirt sophomore also contributed significantly on the boards with a team-high 13 total rebounds and added two steals in the victory. Sophomore Mary Carter also made a significant impact with 10 rebounds. A pair of crucial first-quarter threes for freshman Gabby Robinson helped set the tone for the tightly-contested contest.
Cal Poly had a strong start in the first quarter, with Lichtie hitting a 3-pointer just 26 seconds into the game. UCSB struggled early, committing five turnovers in the quarter, which the Mustangs capitalized on with points off turnovers. Carter and Sidney Richards contributed with layups to extend Cal Poly's lead to 7-2 at the 7:49 mark. Lichtie continued to impact the game with another 3-pointer at 6:09, and Robinson added two more triples helping Cal Poly finish the quarter with a 19-6 lead. UCSB's scoring was limited, with Skylar Burke and Alyssa Marin making key baskets, but Cal Poly's defense held strong throughout.
The second quarter saw the Gauchos outscore the Mustangs 13-9 to cut into the deficit. Early in the quarter, Burke and Anya Choice combined for a 3-pointer and an assist at 8:11, cutting Cal Poly's lead. Fifth year guard and Big West first-team selection Marin responded with consistent scoring, including a layup at 2:56.
The Mustangs were strong in the third quarter, able to extend the lead to as many as 15 on a layup from Annika Shah with 1:27 remaining in the period to push the score to 42-27.
UCSB opened the fourth quarter with a 3-point shot by Alyssa Marin at 9:35, initiating a strong start that narrowed Cal Poly's lead to single digits. Marin's jumper with 5:16 to play made it a one-possession game, and a back and forth battle continued for the remainder of the period. After late fouls that had both teams exchange trips to the line, UC Santa Barbara had the deficit down to two with under two seconds to play and possession. A Gauchos turnover ensued to send the Mustangs into the second round.
Marin led the Gauchos with a standout performance, recording 23 points and a 7-of-9 effort from the line. Burke added 14 points on 5-of-7 shooting from the field with seven rebounds in the loss.
(Article courtesy of the Big West).
