STOCKTON – Pat Eveland’s three-point basket with 0.3 seconds to play helped Pacific overcome a 27-point performance by Orlando Johnson and gave the Tigers a 57-54 victory over visiting UC Santa Barbara on Saturday night.
The Gauchos (8-6 overall, 1-2 in the Big West) got one more opportunity but didn’t have time to get a shot off.
Eveland’s game-winner helped Pacific (9-7 overall, 2-1 in the Big West) overcome a tremendous performance by Johnson. Not only did the reigning Big West Player of the Year score 27 for the game, he had 20 in the second half, including the Gauchos’ last 15. In fact, Johnson was the only UCSB player to score after Greg Somogyi made a pair of free throws with 8:57 left in the game.
“Orlando was outstanding, especially in the second half,” said Santa Barbara head coach Bob Williams. “When he started penetrating, he was incredibly difficult to stop.”
The Tigers led 49-43 before UCSB, or Johnson, went on an 11-3 run to give the Gauchos a 54-52 lead. With his team behind 52-49, the junior made a three-pointer from 24-feet out to tie the score at 52 apiece. After Terrell Smith turned the ball over for Pacific, Johnson completed his scoring with a powerful lay-up that gave his team its final lead.
As time ran down on the Tigers’ next possession, Eveland was fouled by Justin Joyner with 54 seconds to play and he made both free throws to tie the score at 54-54 with 54 seconds remaining.
Following a Gauchos’ timeout, senior Jordan Weiner was called for a travel with just under 26 seconds to play in the game, giving the ball back to Pacific for its final possession.
UCSB played outstanding defense as the Tigers worked the ball around the perimeter. With just seconds to play, Demetrece Young drove into the top of the key and shoveled the ball back to Eveland who launched the three-pointer that ultimately won the game for Pacific.
“Neither the travel or the last shot decided this game,” Williams said. “What decided the game was from the 10 minute mark of the first half to the eight minute mark in the second half when we stopped penetrating and going inside. What decided the game was us settling for three-pointers and not getting to the free throw line.”
The Gauchos, who led by as many as nine (22-13) in the first half, made just 4-of-19 shots from three-point territory. They were also limited to just six free throw attempts, making them all. The Tigers shot just 36.7% overall, but worked the ball inside enough to go to the free throw line 19 times. They made 15.
UCSB’s James Nunnally, playing in his hometown, was shutdown on the offensive end. Entering the game as the Gauchos’ leading scorer at 18.8 points per game, Nunnally was held to just five, all in the first half. He did have a team-high seven rebounds. Jon Pastorek was the only other player in double-figures with 10.
Eveland paced Pacific with 14 points while Sam Willard had 11 points and nine rebounds. Center NyikaWilliams had 10 points and five rebounds with all 10 points coming in the second half.
