SAN FRANCISCO – The UCSB women’s basketball team played its most complete game of the season on Sunday, soundly defeating the University of San Francisco, 71-38 at War Memorial Gym.
Mekia Valentine had a double-double while Kelsey Adrian and Emilie Johnson each scored in double digits for the Gauchos, who improved to 2-5. UCSB led by double-digits for much of the game and the entire second half.
“We challenged them on the defensive end,” said UCSB head coach Lindsay Gottlieb, whose team held an opponent to its lowest non-conference score since a 59-37 victory over Nevada on Dec. 4, 2008. “Our goal was to hold them under 55 points and we obviously did that. They’re a second half team too and we kept it going for a full 40 minutes. So that’s very satisfying.”
Johnson scored a season-high 18 points to go with eight rebounds and four assists, while Adrian had her fourth straight game of scoring in double figures as she finished with 10. Valentine, who had the school’s first-ever triple double a week ago, finished with 15 points, 14 rebounds and four blocked shots.
“It really was mental,” said Johnson, who entered the game shooting 9 for her past 51. “Talking every day to my coaches and them not stopping believing in me. I knew it would come one day. I’m glad it came today with a win.”
Santa Barbara held USF to just 20.8 percent shooting from the field while hitting on 42.9 percent of its shots. Sweets Underwood and Melissa Zornig each had eight points and four rebounds.
Valentine scored six of the Gauchos’ first eight points and Santa Barbara rolled out to an 11-3 lead early on. The advantage swelled to 22-10 on an Adrian jumper and three-pointers moments apart by Kelsey Adrian and Emilie Johnson kept Santa Barbara’s lead in double figures.
Adrian buried another trey with just over two minutes left in the first half to give UCSB a 34-21 lead and the Gauchos took a 41-22 advantage into the locker room.
UCSB opened the second half on a 19-7 run, more than doubling-up the Dons with a 60-28 lead after Emilie Johnson’s layup with 8:34 remaining.
The Gauchos kept their lead over 30 for the rest of the game.
UCSB will host UTEP on Saturday, Dec. 11 in the Thunderdome at 7 p.m.
