RENO, Nev. – A tough shooting night was the downfall for the UCSB women’s basketball team on Monday night at the Lawlor Events Center as the Gauchos lost to Nevada, 59-43, while shooting a mere 26 percent from the floor. The Gauchos missed all 17 of their 3-point attempts.
UCSB has lost its first two games of the season for the first time since 2005-06 when the Gauchos lost their first five contests that season. Nevada improves to 2-0.
The first half on Monday was completely different from the way UCSB opened its season last Friday vs. Fresno State. The Gauchos shot a mere 18.5 percent from the floor while Nevada shot just 37.9 percent. Neither team made a 3-pointer, UCSB missing all nine of its attempts from downtown.
In the second half, things didn’t get much better as UCSB was just 8-for-23 from the field, including 0-for-8 from 3-point land.
The trio UCSB may most rely upon this season to carry them offensively – Mekia Valentine, Jordan Franey and Emilie Johnson – combined to go just 1-for-15 in the first 20 minutes. However, Sweets Underwood kept the score close. The freshman had a first-half high seven points to go with three rebounds in 11 minutes of action.
“I thought we got out-toughed out there,” UCSB head coach Lindsay Gottlieb said.
Valentine ended up with a team-leading 14 points, coming alive in the second half and finishing 5 of 8 from the field. Johnson went 3-for-13 from the floor while Franey was 0-for-11. The two combined to miss 12 3-point attempts.
Valentine, who had 22 points, 10 rebounds and six blocks vs. Fresno State, played just 10 first-half minutes because of early foul trouble and could never get into a rhythm early on. However she finished with seven blocked shots, which is second all-time in single-game school history. That comes on the heels of blocking six shots vs. Fresno State.
Emilie Johnson had a career-high seven steals, tying her for ninth all-time in UCSB single-game history.
The Gauchos begin a two-game homestand next Sunday when they host Loyola Marymount at 2 p.m. in the Thunderdome followed by a noon game on Wednesday, Nov. 25 vs. Kentucky.
