Nov. 25, 2003
SANTA BARBARA, Calif. - The 16th-ranked UC Santa Barbara women's basketball team extended the nation's second-longest home winning streak to 26 games Tuesday night with a 75-65 triumph over No. 21 Arizona in the Thunderdome.
Gaucho senior center Lindsay Taylor led all scorers with 23 points - and became the school's all-time leader in career blocked shots with 181 -as UCSB improved to 3-1 on the young season. Meanwhile the Wildcats now stand at 1-1 in 2003-04.
It was Arizona that had the hot hand at the outset, burying four of its first eight three-pointers, including one from senior Amy Gryzb that gave the visitors a 19-13 advantage at the 11:59 mark of the first half. However at that point UA's shooters went cold, allowing Santa Barbara to embark on a dominating 20-2 run spanning nine minutes. When senior point guard April McDivitt buried a "trey" with 2:19 to play before halftime, the scoreboard read 33-21 in favor of the home team. UCSB lead 37-26 heading into intermission.
The Gauchos maintained their momentum coming out of the locker rooms, outscoring Arizona 9-2 over the first five minutes of the second half. Junior guard Mia Fisher scored five of her season-high 15 points during that spurt. Santa Barbara's lead grew as large as 61-40 when Taylor buried a free throw at the 9:58 mark, but the Wildcats battled back to within 66-56 with just over five minutes remaining. However a string of six unanswered points by the home team - capped by a Kristen Mann layup off an assist from McDivitt - put the game safely out of reach, despite UCSB missing three of six free-throws over the final 1:19.
Taylor made eight-of-12 field goal tries and seven-of-eight attempts from the charity stripe while grabbing eight rebounds and blocking four shots en route to her record-breaking performance. In addition to solid offensive performances from her and Fisher, senior Lisa Willett scored 10 while Mann just missed a double-double with nine points coupled with equal number of boards. McDivitt dished off a season-best eight assists and junior forward Brandy Richardson tallied five helpers with only one turnover.
|
|
 |
The Gauchos shot a sparking 53.1% compared to just 34.7% by UA, which was led by its All-American sophomore center Shawntinice Polk with 20 points and 11 rebounds. Three other Wildcats also scored in double-figures, including Natalie Jones with 13. The visitors' starting guard duo of Gryzb and Dee-Dee Wheeler each finished with solid totals of 10 points and six assists.
After taking a break for Thanksgiving, UCSB will be back in action on Friday, Nov. 29, hosting Illinois (2-0) in the Thunderdome at 7:00 p.m.
