Dec 11, 2002
BERKELEY, Calif. - Joe Shipp scored 17 points as Cal won its 21st straight home game against a non-conference opponent, beating UC Santa Barbara 67-60 on Tuesday.
In the first meeting between the teams since 1981, Cal (4-1) made 15 of 18 free throws in the final 2 minutes, 13 seconds to hold off the Gauchos (3-4) who fought back from a 19-point first-half deficit.
Amit Tamir and Brian Wethers scored 12 points each, Richard Migley, 11 and A.J. Diggs, 10 for the Bears, who made 22 of 30 free throws. The Gauchos, who had 15 points from Branduinn Fullove, 13 by Nick Jones and 12 from Mark Hull, tried just two free throws and made one.
UCSB caught up by making 11 three-pointers, including three each from Jones and Fullove.
Cal scored the game's first 13 points - including two three-pointers by Shipp - before Fullove connected on an 18-footer with 13:38 left in the half. The Gauchos missed their first six shots.
An 8-0 run later in the half capped by a 3-pointer from Erik Bond gave Cal its biggest lead, 29-10. Two three-pointers by Fullove in the final minute brought the score to 35-23 by halftime.
Cal was only 3-of-11 on two-pointers in the first half, but 8-for-15 on 3-pointers, including three of four by Shipp.
UCSB opened the second half with eight straight points, cutting the lead to
35-30. Cal maintained that lead most of the second half, until Fullove drilled
a leaning jumper from the free throw line, cutting the deficit to 50-49 with
3:55 left. But Cal scored the next six points on a driving layup by Diggs and
two free throws each from Tamir and Shipp, making it 56-49 with 1:47 remaining.
Jones and Fullove hit 3-pointers on the next two possessions to close to 58-55,
as close as the Gaucho's would get.
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A major differene in the game was free throws. Cal was 22-of-30 from the free throw line, while the Gauchos attempted just two, making one.
UCSB will return to action on Wednesday, December 18, when it hosts Westmont College in an exhibition game that will tipoff at 7:00 p.m. The Gauchos next regular season game will be on Saturday, December 21 at BYU.
