UC Santa Barbara's Kristen Mann and Autumn Nichols each poured in 25 points
on the night as the league-leading Gauchos defeated host Cal State Fullerton,
83-40, on Thursday night at Titan Gym.
The Titans fell to 5-19 overall, 3-12 in the Big West Conference. However,
the biggest loss wasn't even in the control of Fullerton as UC Irvine
pulled off the upset of third-place Idaho, 71-60, dropping the Titans
into ninth place and temporarily out of the Big West Conference Tournament
picture.
UC Santa Barbara improved to 16-8, 13-2 in league play.
Mann added 12 rebounds to complete the double-double for the Gauchos while
Nichols was almost perfect from the field, shooting 9-for-11 and hitting
on 7-of-8 from the free throw line. All 10 UCSB players who entered the
game, scored at least two points.
Fullerton was led by Cynthia Sorrell, who had eight points and five rebounds.
Freshman Sandra Woloschuk led the team with six boards.
Both teams struggled to hit baskets early on, as the Titans trailed by
only a 6-4 count with just over five minutes gone in the opening period.
However, the Gauchos caught fire, holding the Titans scoreless for the
next six-plus minutes and using an 8-0 run to build a 10-point lead.
Andrea Adams hit a three-pointer with 11:37 remaining to end the skid,
but a 15-6 run by UCSB extended its lead to 16 points and the Gauchos
led by as many as 17 in the period en route to a 36-20 halftime lead.
UC Santa Barbara opened the second half with an 11-0 run to build a 27-point
lead and the Gauchos led by as many as 40 points with 12:32 remaining.
UCSB closed out the game on an 11-0 run over the final five minutes for
the final totals.
Cal State Fullerton shot just over 21 percent for the game and 15 percent
from three-point range. UCSB hit on 51 percent of its shots and outrebounded
the Titans, 50-37.
The Titans play their final home game of the season on Saturday (Feb.
26) at 7 p.m. as they host Cal Poly at Titan Gym. Seniors Meghann Keathley,
Melanie Mosley, and Cynthia Sorrell will be feted prior to tip-off in
their final home appearance in a Titan uniform.
