Big fourth quarter leads UCSB past UC San Diego
UC SANTA BARBARA, Calif. - The UC Santa Barbara Women's Basketball team earned a double-digit, come-from-behind win to keep themselves in the thick of The Big West race for first place. UC Santa Barbara was down by as much as 11 in the third quarter but came back and earned a 60-52 victory Thursday night in The Thunderdome.
FROM HEAD COACH BONNIE HENRICKSON
"I thought Alexis (Whitfield) and Mary (McMorris) weren't great to start but then the lights turned on and they went," said Henrickson. "That's when we got steals and layups. We turned that into one three, then another three, and got momentum-changing plays."
HOW IT HAPPENED
A slow start for the Gauchos saw the Tritons take a 6-0 lead to open the game, but the Gauchos ultimately settled down and went on a run of their own. UC Santa Barbara scored nine unanswered points to take a 9-6 lead. A back-and-forth set of runs would ensue with the Tritons going up 15-9, but the Gauchos closed the gap to 15-14 by quarter's end.
It became all Gauchos to start the second quarter as UC Santa Barbara scored on back-to-back possessions to take a 19-15 lead. The 5-0 run forced UC San Diego to take a timeout. After the timeout, the Tritons got back to their offense and tied the game up at 19 a side. A five-point spurt by the Tritons put them up at the break, 24-19.
In the third quarter, both teams would trade baskets for a bit before UC San Diego pulled away and went up 11. The Gauchos fought back and made it a five-point game by quarter end after Anya Choice made a three to cut the deficit.
The fourth quarter was dominated by the Gauchos. The Santa Barbara defense was very active and forced multiple turnovers to tie and ultimately take the lead. Mary McMorris, Alexis Whitfield, and Jessica Grant spurred the momentum with turnovers, and by the time the Gauchos took the lead, everyone was involved both offensively and defensively. Anya Choice hit a big three to sustain the momentum the Gauchos have built. Zoe Borter joined the action making two big layups down the stretch. A well-rounded fourth-quarter effort led to a 60-52 win for UC Santa Barbara.
LOOKING AT THE NUMBERS
Laurel Rockwood grabbed a new season-high, nine rebounds in the win, topping her previous high of eight that she hit twice this season.
Mary McMorris scored 13 points in the contest. Her second time scoring in double-figures in the last five games.
The Gauchos again had a spectacular night from the free-throw line shooting over 75 percent for the seventh time in the last eight games.
UP NEXT
The Gauchos will depart for Hawai'i as they take on the Rainbow Wahine on Saturday, Feb. 17. UC Santa Barbara and Hawai'i will tipoff at 9 p.m. Pacific time on Saturday night.
(article courtesy of UCSB Athletics)
