The UCSB women’s basketball team extended its winning streak against Cal State Fullerton to 40 games on Saturday afternoon with a 60-50 victory in the Thunderdome.
With the win, UCSB improves to 9-12 overall and 5-4 in Big West Conference play. The Titans
fall to 7-14 and 3-6 in league games.
After building their lead to as many as 12 points in the first half, UCSB saw its advantage
dwindle away as Fullerton came back to tie the game at 40-40 midway through the second.
With the game deadlocked, UCSB head coach Carlene Mitchell made a complete lineup
change, bringing Jackie Luna-Castro, Kendra Morrison, Jasmine Ware, Madeline Campbell and
Destini Mason off the bench with 9:56 to go in the game.
Ware immediately made her presence felt as she stole the ball and converted the fastbreak to
regain the Gauchos‚ lead. The Titans were able to tie the game two more times before UCSB
broke through with an 8-0 run. The Gaucho reserves did not let Fullerton get any closer than
seven points down the stretch, helping secure the 60-50 victory.
“Typically I can say that when we win it is truly a team effort, but today I can say that and it is
backed by the numbers,” head coach Carlene Mitchell said. “The starters did a great job in the
first half, but we started a bit slow and with a lack of intensity in the second half, and I want
the young ones to understand that they always have to be ready and have their mind in the
game. Today, the second unit helped us pull off this win. I am extremely proud of the intensity
and the focus that they came in with.”
In the first half, the Gauchos fell behind early, 5-3, but the offense heated up and went on a
14-0 run to take the lead halfway through the stanza. The Titans cut their deficit to four
points with a 7-2 run, but UCSB built its lead to a game-high 12 points with 1:48 to go in the
stanza
Heading into the locker rooms, the Gauchos were ahead, 28-18.
Senior Kirsten Tilleman led the Gauchos as she put up a season-high 16 points to go along
with eight rebounds, just short of her first double-double of the season. She had eight points
and eight rebounds in the first half alone and she also made 8-of-8 from the charity stripe.
Senior Sweets Underwood chipped in 10 points, while juniors Melissa Zornig and Nicole
Nesbit each had seven. The latter led the team with four assists.
The Gauchos shot 52.6% (20-for-38) from the field. After making 100% of its first half free-
throws (7-of-7), they struggled in the second, sinking just 12-of-22 to finish the game with
a 65.5% clip from the charity stripe.
The Gauchos‚ 60 points mark the most they have scored at home this season. The win
improves UCSB to 3-6 on its home court.
