BOISE, Idaho ? A 25-2 surge to end the first half and start the second half proved decisive as Boise State rolled past visiting UCSB on Saturday afternoon, 72-56.
The Broncos (4-1) put the Gauchos (2-3) away over the final eight minutes of the first half when they went on an 18-0 run to blow open a 19-18 game and take an insurmountable 37-20 lead at the break.
Boise State?s big run to end the first half extended into the second half as they outscored UCSB 7-0 in the opening 1:10 of the second half to push the rally to 25-2 and the lead to 44-20 with 18:50 left in the game. A three-point basket by Lewis Thomas stopped the momentum.
UCSB committed 12 turnovers in the pivotal first half leading to 12 Boise State points. The Gauchos tightened things up in the second half and finished with 16 turnovers.
Jeff Elorriaga scored 12 of his 15 points in the first half, all on three-pointers, three of which came during the decisive first half run. He had five three-point baskets in all. Anthony Drmic, who scored five of the seven points to start the second half, ended the game with 16 points.
?Their defense really got to us,? said UCSB head coach Bob Williams. ?They didn?t give us a lot of room to operate, they really crawled into us and we didn?t adjust well enough, then they had a couple guys get hot and the game got away from us.?
Alan Williams, who picked-up two quick offensive fouls in the first half limiting him to four minutes, finished with 15 points, all in the second half. Taran Brown ended with 13 points, along with a team-leading five rebounds and a career-high four blocked shots.
?I liked how Al (Williams) played in the second half, but we need him on the court in the first half,? said Coach Williams. ?He can?t be committing bad fouls, and one of his first two today was just not a good foul.?
Alan Williams finished with a season-low two rebounds as the Gauchos were beaten soundly on the boards, 37-22. Nate Garth had a team-high four assists while Brown added four.
UCSB will return home to play Wyoming on Wednesday, Nov. 28, the first of two games between the Gauchos and Cowboys this season. The game will tip-off at 7:00 p.m. at the Thunderdome. The teams will play in Laramie, Wyo., on Dec. 21.
