Orlando Johnson gets around his defender on Saturday. Johnson led the Gauchos with 28 points.
James Nunnally goes up for an easy lay up for two points.
Orlando Johnson’s perfect first half shooting put the Gauchos ahead for good Saturday night, as UCSB never trailed during the second half and buried UC Riverside 64-57 at the Thunderdome.
Johnson was 7-for-7 in the first half and totaled 28 points and seven rebounds as the Gauchos won for the 14th time in their last 15 home games.
The Gauchos are now 23-5 all time against the Highlanders, which includes a fifteen game winning streak at the Thunderdome. While Johnson and Nunnally (19 points, 7 rebounds) took care of the offensive end of the game, coach Bob Williams gave the defensive effort shown by his players the most credit for the victory.
“You hope that teams’ legs get a little tired, and that we wear on you, and I think it did wear on them a little bit,” said Williams. “Some of the shots that they made the first half, they didn’t make the second half. But the fact that we come off back to back games this week, where we hold Irvine, who’s averaging 76, we hold them to 58, and we hold these guys (Riverside), who’s averaging 72, we hold them to 57. That’s a much better defensive effort. I think we’re gradually developing.”
While the Gauchos’ stifling zone was holding the Highlanders to 36.8 percent field goal shooting, the crowd was feeding the psychological edge, as the Gauchos rolled to another big win at home.
“I know when they’re here, it gets me juiced. I’m excited, and I want to make big plays for them, getting dunks and making big shots,” said Johnson. “For us, it’s definitely comfortable playing in this gym. We shoot here everyday, and we don’t want someone coming into our house and taking what we got.”
Without the inside presence of center Jaime Serna, who’s out with a strained groin, Johnson and Nunnally stepped up their game around the basket on offense and defense, as each grabbed seven rebounds. Johnson was especially effective shooting near the hoop, and did not have to rely on the three-point shot, as he only took three shots from downtown.
“What you’re seeing in Orlando is a more aggressive guy at the rim. (He’s) Trying to get the ball to the rim, trying to grab boards, get put backs,” said Williams. “And when Orlando mixes his game like that, he’s really tough to play (against). He was one of three from the three point line, but the great news is that he only took three. Orlando doesn’t need to shoot seven or eight threes. There will be some nights he will, but Orlando has to do the things that he can do better than any other guy in this league, which is get to the rim, his mid range game, get to the glass, and get to the foul line. That’s what makes him a beast.”
Riverside’s top scorer, Javon Borum, who is averaging 22 points per game in conference, was held to just 12 points, and only three in the second half.
“The first half we didn’t do a very good job stopping him,” said Williams. “The second half we definitely made a better attempt to get to him. He’s a quick confident guy, and a good athlete. Our zone is pretty good on the perimeter when we’re competing. We got numerous good contests on him with no fly by’s, and we made it so he had to bounce it a little more.”
Looking ahead, the Gauchos (10-6 overall, 3-2 in the Big West) will travel down south next Saturday to play at Cal-State Fullerton at 6 pm.
