Center Greg Somogyi was a defensive presence again for the Gauchos.
James Nunnally led all scorers with 29 points on the night.
James Nunnally’s hot hand led the UCSB men’s basketball team to a 77-67 win against Loyola Marymount on Wednesday, as the junior forward registered a career night at the Thunderdome.
Nunnally scored 29 points and headed a late 18-0 run while out dueling LMU’s Larry Davis, who scored a career-high 27 points.
“He’s found a home (at the 4 position),” said UCSB head coach Bob Williams. “As you can see he’s a difficult match up for anyone. His release is as pure right now as anyone we’ve had.”
Nunnally connected on 11-of-14 shot attempts, including 4-of-5 from the three-point line, playing much of the night as an undersized power forward.
“I still think I’m a guard, but switching me to the four creates match-up problems,” said Nunnally. “This week I got in the gym, got repped up, and they were falling tonight.”
Orlando Johnson faced his old school for the second time since transferring. Johnson’s 11-point performance was 14 points under his season average, leading Williams to speculate.
“He didn’t handle the ball very well,” said Williams. “But I don’t think he had a very good game against Loyola last year, so there might be something there where he’s pressing a little bit. But the MVP can have a bad game, and it’s nice to see everybody pick it up.”
UCSB (3-3) had its hands full in the first half against a depleted LMU (3-5) lineup, and seemed to be in for a dogfight, as each time traded bucket for bucket. The Lions battled, even though they were missing top-scorer Drew Viney and starter Jarred DuBois. They created 16 second-chance points on 13 offensive rebounds. The offense was put on the backs of Davis and Vernon Teel, who scored 13 points but made nine turnovers.
“They did a great job of driving (to the basket against) us, but actually we matched them overall on the glass,” said Williams. “I think coming in, they were the number one team in the country in terms of differential in rebounds. So if we match you on the glass, that’s an advantage for us.”
UCSB's Jaime Serna fights the inside battle against Loyola Marymount.
The second half was a completely different story for the Gauchos, as Nunnally caught fire and scored 13 points in the midst of UCSB’s late 18-0 run. UCSB’s emphasis on a smaller lineup paid off because of extremely productive performances by Jordan Weiner and Kyle Boswell. The guards combined for 15 points and six steals, and stepped up in hitting a few key momentum-changing shots.
“What’s going to make us (win) is getting the confidence and contribution out there from everybody else when they have the opportunity,” said Williams.
For every shot that LMU managed to hit, the Gauchos had an answer, and did not allow the Lions to gain a lead after ten minutes into the first half. Much of UCSB’s success can be attributed to shooting accuracy. As a collective unit, the Gauchos shot 62 percent from the floor and 80 percent from the free throw line, solid numbers that far surpassed what the Lions shot on the night.
“We love playing at home,” said Nunnally. ”One of our goals is to never lose a home game. We want to protect our house.”
Unfortunately for the Gauchos’ raucous Locos, UCSB hits the road for three away games, starting at Santa Clara on Saturday night at 7 p. m.
