UC Santa Barbara denies Warriors in OT, 81-74
JaQuori McLaughlin scored 19 points — including seven in overtime, and Devearl Ramsey added 17 points, including eight free throws in the final 1:12 of OT, to help visiting UC Santa Barbara deny Hawai’i, 81-74, Saturday night to take both games of a pivotal Big West Conference men’s basketball series at SimpliFi Arena at the Stan Sheriff Center.
Amadou Sow added 16 points as the first-place Gauchos won their 10th straight game to improve to 14-3 overall, 8-2 in the Big West. Canon Jardine scored a game-high 25 points and grabbed six rebounds and James Jean-Marie added 17 points off the bench for the Warriors, who fell to 7-7, 5-7.
UCSB led, 46-31, five minutes into the second half and appeared to be in control for most of the game as it did in Friday night’s 59-50 victory, leading 54-43 after Ajare Sanni’s jumper with 8:56 remaining. But UH chipped away and eventually tied it at 60-60 on Junior Maude’s 3-pointer from beyond the top of the key with 1:51 left, then took a 62-60 lead on Jardine’s drive and layup with 1:01 remaining.
The Gauchos then tied it at 62-62 on Miles Norris’ slam dunk with 34.4 seconds on the clock. On the ensuing possession, Maude’s 3-point attempt from the right wing glanced off the rim and was knocked out of bounds under the basket, giving UCSB the ball with 4.4 ticks showing. The Gauchos then turned it over at midcourt but Jean-Marie’s Hail Mary was off the mark and caromed off the backboard as time expired.
McLaughlin opened the overtime period by swishing a 3-pointer from the right wing about 30 seconds in, then later drilled a jumper at the shot clock buzzer to extend the lead to 71-67 with 1:43 remaining. The Warriors could not convert on the other end, and Ramsey then began his streak of eight straight free throws at the 1:12 mark to eventually seal the victory.
More details, including video highlights and interviews, will be posted later.
Big West Conference
Saturday’s Results
at UC Davis 78, Long Beach State 76 (OT)
at CSU Bakersfield 65, UC San Diego 50
UC Irvine 73, at UC Riverside 64
UC Santa Barbara 81, at Hawai’i 74 (OT)
Cal State Fullerton at Cal Poly, canceled
