SAN DIEGO – UCSB came up short in a 64-58 loss to San Diego State. The road loss at the Viejas Arena moved the Gauchos’ record to 0-8 while the Aztecs improve to 3-4.
Jasmine Ware led Santa Barbara with a career-high 20 points as the speedy guard scored early and often with her looks in transition. With dynamic play on both sides of the court, Ware played all 40 minutes of the game.
Chaya Durr also found success in the scoring column with a career-best 11 points. Following her 10-point performance against Washington State, the freshman has now hit career-high point totals in back-to-back games.
UCSB was only outrebounded 35-32 in the game, as Clair Watkins paced the team with five. Every Gaucho collected at least one rebound.
Watkins – who came into the game as the second-leading blocker in the Big West – had a career performance with five blocks against the Aztecs. She came into the game averaging 1.7 blocks per contest.
UCSB made it close in the final minute, but it had to claw its way back into contention with a 10-2 run in facing a 12-point SDSU lead with 3:05 left in the game.
Chaya Durr got things started by making one of two free throws after being fouled in transition. The freshman’s trip to the charity strip followed a 1:17 long scoring drought for both teams, and the Aztecs responded with a full-court substitution. The change didn’t change much offensively for SDSU, as it only made one field goal during the Gauchos’ run.
UCSB pressured the backcourt on the inbounds play following Durr’s free throws, and Onome Jemerigbe came up with a quick steal-and-score to put the Gauchos back within single digits at 57-48.
In forcing yet another turnover, the Gauchos got the ball back, as Jemerigbe muscled her way down through the lane and drew a foul in completing her layup. The sophomore point guard completed the three-point play and finished with eight points along with a career-high nine assists.
In completing the run, Durr and Ware each made a layup to put UCSB right behind the Aztecs at 59-55. But with less than a minute left, the Gauchos were forced to foul, which SDSU capitalized on with five more points, proving enough to seal the win. UCSB was unable to score in three of its final four possessions.
To end the first half, UCSB was down by 10-points despite garnering multiple leads early in the game. Aztec Erimma Amarikwa led her team in scoring all her points in the first half, while fellow forward Khristina Hunter carried the team in the second half with 11 points – 15 points total – as she went 7-8 from the foul line. Overall, San Diego State went 18-27 from the charity stripe, while UCSB finished shooting 8-10.
The Gauchos will be back on the hardwood this Friday when they host Pepperdine in the Thunderdome at 7 p.m.
