MOSCOW, Idaho – For the second straight game, UCSB’s defense was superb, holding Idaho in check. However, the Gauchos were again burned by turnovers and an opponent’s offensive rebounds and fell, 47-40 to the Vandals on Monday night in War Memorial Gym.
The Gauchos fall to 3-8 on the season as Idaho improves to 2-11.
Idaho used a 19-0 run in the second half to turn the tables on UCSB, turning a 12-point deficit around and then never relinquishing the lead.
In the Gauchos’ last game, UCSB allowed Pepperdine to shoot just 22%, yet still succumbed to defeat.
Emilie Johnson and Jordan Franey each had double-doubles, but it was not enough as the Gauchos committed a season-high 29 turnovers. That, and Idaho’s 19 offensive rebounds, didn’t help as the Vandals overcame a 21.9% shooting performance.
Johnson had 14 points and a career-high 11 rebounds for her first career double-double while Franey had 13 points and 11 boards. Mekia Valentine also had 11 rebounds, to go with five points and four blocked shots.
Johnson and Franey became the first set of Gaucho teammates to record a double-double in a game since Jessica Wilson and Chisa Ononiwu did so on March 8, 2008 vs. Long Beach State.
The first half was forgettable as neither team did much to light Memorial Gym up. UCSB took a 16-1 lead with 8:26 remaining as Idaho missed its first 20 shots from the field. The Gauchos, with a golden opportunity to run away with the game simply could not.
The Gauchos committed 19 turnovers in the first half alone – nearly what the team is averaging per game. UCSB shot just 39.1% from the floor and took a 20-12 halftime lead.
The Vandals, for as poor as they shot in the first half, came out with a different attitude and shooting stroke in the second, knocking down 40% of their shots. UCSB, meanwhile, shot just 27.6% in the second half and committed 10 more turnovers.
UCSB took a 12-point lead, 29-17, on Franey’s layup with 14:35 to play, but Idaho outscored the Gauchos 30-11 the remainder of the way. UCSB didn’t give up its lead until Bianca Cheever hit a 3-pointer with 9:33 left, which was part of a 19-0 run by Idaho.
The Gauchos never got closer than five points the rest of the way.
UCSB will finish its road trip on Wednesday at Gonzaga. Tip-off is 6 pm and the game can be heard online by clicking here.
