STOCKTON – While revenge might have been on the UCSB women’s basketball team’s minds on Saturday at the Spanos Center, they still also had to battle their normal bugaboo of the turnover.
Fortunately, both worked out well – or at least, victorious – for the Gauchos as they held off Pacific for a 65-58 win to improve to 2-1 in the Big West and 5-10 overall. The Tigers fall to 3-11, 1-3.
Last season, UCSB shot just 17% in the second half here, which erased a five-point halftime lead and dropped its lone conference game, 59-50 to the Tigers. So, revenge was taken care of.
Though UCSB committed 31 turnovers on Saturday, a season high, the Gauchos shot 49% from the floor and were paced by Meagan Williams’ 18 points, which tied her season high. Williams also had three rebounds, five assists and two blocked shots.
“Obviously the turnovers are a concern and we’re working on it,” UCSB head coach Lindsay Gottlieb said. “I thought our effort out of the gates was great.”
Mekia Valentine had 17 points and 11 rebounds and five blocks. Emilie Johnson had 14 points and six assists for UCSB.
Saturday started much different than last season ended. The Gauchos shot 52% from the field in the first half and despite committing 17 turnovers in the first stanza, took a 34-20 lead into the half.
Though Pacific cut into UCSB’s lead in the second half, the Gauchos were able to break the Tigers’ press and score many transition baskets, keeping the Tigers at bay. UOP got as close as nine a handful of times in the second half before ending the game with their smallest margin in the entire second half.
Overall, 32 of the Gauchos’ points came in the paint.
UCSB returns home for a lone home game on Thursday at 7 p.m. vs. Long Beach State in the Thunderdome. Fans can receive $1 off a ticket for every canned food item they bring to the Thunderdome, receiving a discount up to $5. The game can be heard live on AM 990 or streaming online by clicking clicking here..
