Gauchos use big first half to crash the Waves
UC SANTA BARBARA, Calif. - The Gauchos improved to 2-0 Thursday night as the UC Santa Barbara women's basketball team staved off Pepperdine (0-2) in its home opener 71-63. A huge first half and clutch play down the stretch allowed the Gauchos to stave off a strong second half by the Waves.
On the Statsheet
Ila Lane followed up her 17 point performance in the season opener with another 16 points to lead all players on a potent 8-for-9 shooting. She also paced the Gauchos with six rebounds.
Three gauchos scored double figures including Taylor Mole who went 4-for-6 from beyond the arc and totaled 14 points. Jessica Grant was also efficient from deep going 3-for-4 and tallying 10 points.
Alyssa Marin led all players with five assists and had nine points as well.
UCSB assisted on 21 of of its 26 buckets and outshot Pepperdine 50.0% to 34.8%.
How it Happened
UCSB took the advantage over Pepperdine in the first quarter with six Gauchos making baskets. Lane contributed to more than a third of the scoring by going 2-for-2 in from the field, followed by Grant who hit a triple. Pairs of assists were dished out by Marin and sophomore Callie Cooper as the Gauchos assisted on five of their six field goals and ended the period up 15-7.
The Gaucho's brought on the heat with aggressive defense in the second period holding the Waves to just 10 points. Mole was huge in the team's big quarter, leading the Gauchos with nine points on three three-pointers as part of a big run that saw the Gaucho lead stretch to 21 points. Lane followed going three-for-three to bring in six points. Sophomore Whitfield contributed to a little less than half of the Gauchos 11 total rebounds, making five boards. The Gauchos added 23 points to the board in the second quarter, prevailing 38-17 as the two teams went into the locker rooms.
UCSB's lead over Pepperdine in the first half can be credited to six threes, making up 48.4% of the Gauchos' scoring. Mole was the top scorer, going 4-for-7 with 11 points, closely followed by Lane, going an impressive 5-for-5 with 10 points.
Pepperdine brought out a tough press to begin the third quarter that forced nine Gaucho turnovers and allowed the Waves to chip at the lead until it was a seven-point game at 51-44.
With the Waves close behind, the Gauchos brought up the heat in the fourth quarter. Tucker and Marin both took the title as top scorer with five points. Ila Lane and Jessica Grant followed with four points, including a clutch three-point, shot clock buzzer beater by Grant. The Gaucho's racked up 20 points in the fourth period, defeating the Waves 71-63.
The Gauchos now look on to Tuesday's game with Idaho State in the Thunderdome. Tip-off is set for 7 PM.
(Article courtesy of UCSB Athletics)
