Nicole Nesbit scored 14 points, leading the UCSB to a 51-46 win over UC Irvine in the Big West women’s basketball opener on Thursday at the Bren Center.
The win snapped a three-game losing streak for the Gauchos, the defending Big West Tournament champions.
Sweets Underwood and Melissa Zornig each scored 11 points for UCSB (5-8, 1-0). Camille Buckley and Jennifer Tsurumoto had 11 points apiece for UC Irvine (4-9, 0-1).
The Gauchos roared out to a 11-3 lead. UC Irvine pulled to within 17-15 on a 3-pointer by Cheyenne Cathey, but UCSB answered on a trey by Destini Mason.
After Irvine’s Jennifer Tsurumoto hit a pair of free throws to make it 20-17, Kendra Morrison of the Gauchos hit a jumper with one second left for a 22-17 halftime lead.
UCSB expanded its lead to 10 points (44-34) on a jumper by Nesbit with 2:23 left in the game.
UCSB will continue Big West play on Saturday, Jan. 8 at Long Beach State at 4 p.m. in Walter Pyramid.
