Warrior Insider

Ajay Mitchell sank a runner high off the glass with 1.9 seconds remaining tonight to lift UC Santa Barbara past Hawai’i, 65-64, to stay in first place atop the Big West Conference men’s basketball standings. 

A raucous “Alumni Night” crowd of 4,016 in SimpliFi Arena at the Stan Sheriff Center watched Mitchell score a game-high 24 points and Cole Anderson add 13 points for the Gauchos, who improved to 17-3 overall and 8-1 in league play. Samuta Avea scored 13 points and Bernardo da Silva added 12 for the Warriors, who fell to 15-6 and 6-3.

UH overcame a 13-point first-half deficit and led, 64-63, on da Silva’s layup with 2:45 remaining. But that would be the last score for the Warriors, as a miss with 23 seconds left gave UCSB the final possession. After the ball skipped off Kamaka Hepa’s leg and out of bounds with five seconds remaining, the Gauchos inbounded to Mitchell, who circled to the right and lofted his game-winner.

UC Santa Barbara used a 14-0 run early in the first half to lead, 16-6, after Anderson scored on a reverse layup with 12:26 remaining. The Gauchos later stretched the lead to 31-18 after Mitchell scored on a runner with 4:51 left, but Justus Jackson swished a 3-pointer one second before halftime to cut it to 36-27.

The Warriors will remain at home this week to host CSU Bakersfield on Saturday at 7:00 p.m. The Roadrunners lost at home to UC Davis, 79-58, on Thursday.

More details, including video highlights and interviews, will be posted later.

Big West Conference
Long Beach State 70, at Cal Poly 52
UC San Diego 65, at CSUN 57
UC Davis 79, at CSU Bakersfield 58
at Cal State Fullerton 62, UC Irvine 61
UC Santa Barbara 65, at Hawai’i 64