Utah State Rallies to Upset UCSB, 73-66

Utah State rarely looks like the greatest or flashiest of basketball teams, but it usually seems to have what is needed to win.

In their workmanlike manner, the Aggies came from behind to defeat UC Santa Barbara, 73-66, in a semifinal game of the Pacific Coast Athletic Assn. tournament at the Forum Friday night.

The victory set up the unlikely championship game at 2 this afternoon between Utah State and UC Irvine.

Utah State got some big plays from center Greg Housekeeper, forward Dan Conway and guard Kevin Nixon down the stretch, and Santa Barbara, which had dominated much of the game, had nothing to offer in retaliation.

It was the third victory of the season for Utah State (20-9) over the Gauchos (22-7).

Jeff Anderson’s three-point shot with 5:56 to play put the Aggies ahead for good.

Nixon and Conway each scored 20 points for the Aggies.

Santa Barbara’s Brian Shaw, called the best player in the Pacific Coast Athletic Assn. by Gaucho Coach Jerry Pimm, played up to that description in the first half, scoring 19 points. But he had only 8 in the second half.

The Aggies, who defeated Santa Barbara, 73-72 and 85-62, during the regular season, moved quickly to an 11-2 lead behind the hot shooting of Nixon.

Santa Barbara, using the inside muscle of Gary Gray and Mike Doyle and the finesse of Shaw, got even at 19-19.

The Gauchos went ahead for the first time, 23-22, on a jump shot by Carlton Davenport with 6:07 left in the first half.

They steadily increased the lead until a three-point play by Conway reduced it to 29-26 with 3:08 left.

Shaw then took over and led the Gauchos on an 11-4 run to close out the half. Not known as an outside shooter, Shaw topped the surge by swishing a jumper from beyond the three-point line for a 40-30 UCSB halftime lead.

Despite going almost the first three minutes of the second half without a point, the Gauchos stayed in control. When Shaw scored his 23rd point on a short bank shot, they led, 48-40.

But the Aggies stormed back midway through the half. When Anderson sank a three-pointer with 8:52 to play, they had scored nine straight points for a 55-53 lead.