UCSB could not slow down Pepperdine’s crisp shooting, as the Gauchos fell 66-44 in the Thunderdome on Friday night.
Santa Barbara falls to 0-9 on the season, while the Waves improve to 4-5.
Onome Jemerigbe led UCSB with 12 points, while Clair Watkins trailed her with nine points and also collected a game-high three blocks. The Gaucho center paced the team with five rebounds, as Jasmine Ware matched that figure and netted eight points as well.
EDITOR’S NOTE: Santa Barbara High alum Tessa Emerson scored seven points in 20 minutes off the bench for Pepperdine. Emerson is a senior with the Waves.
For the Waves, Keitra Wallace led the way with a game-high 16 points, while Bria Richardson (11), Kelsey Brockway (10), and Allie Green (10) also scored in double figures. Wallace paced the floor with both eight boards and three steals.
After facing a 17-point Pepperdine lead in the first half, UCSB battled back and put itself within eight at the halftime break. However, the Waves kept rolling offensively, and the Gauchos could not keep up in shooting 25.8 percent in the second half.
With 6:05 left in the first, Pepperdine was on top 30-13 and were in the midst of what would be a 48 percent first half shooting effort. The Gauchos, though, fought back and tallied a 12-3 run to close out the half, as Dioseline Lopez getting the run started with a pair of free throws.
Jemerigbe followed her fellow point guard and darted across the lane for a reverse layup in capitalizing on a Wave turnover. On the following possession, Mi’Chael Wright found the finishing touch on a drive after Lopez fed her on a short pass.
Ea Shoushtari connected on a left wing three in response to UCSB’s six straight points, but Jemerigbe kept the run alive for her team with a perfect 2-2 trip to the foul line two minutes later.
Those were the first two of five straight points from Jemerigbe as she added another free throw and a layup before the break. Watkins added one more make from the charity stripe and officially put UCSB within eight points at 33-25.
In opening the second half, Pepperdine continued with its clean shooting and racked up 14 unanswered points in taking a 47-25 lead. Watkins ended the Gauchos’ scoring drought with a jumper from the foul line at the 12:39 mark.
