Gauchos Squeeze Past 49ers, 53-52

UC Santa Barbara won another game Thursday night, and the Gauchos did it the way Coach Jerry Pimm knew they would have to.

“At the end, I thought if we were going to win, we’d have to do it at the other (defensive) end,” Pimm said after the Gauchos (15-1 overall, 6-1 in the Big West Conference) edged Cal State Long Beach, 53-52, before a sellout crowd of 2,237 in the 49ers’ gym.

Long Beach had two opportunities to win the game in the last minute but failed each time. Trailing by the eventual final score, the 49ers got the ball with 1:10 left on a steal by guard Tyrone Mitchell. They couldn’t get off a shot, and with the shot clock showing 8 seconds, Mitchell had the ball knocked away by Carlton Davenport.

Mike Elliott of the Gauchos was fouled and, following two timeouts, missed the front end of a one-and-one, giving the 49ers a last chance with 24 seconds to play.

The only shot they could get wasn’t a good one--a running one-hander by Darrell Faulkner that was well off the mark just before time ran out.

“We executed well all night, but on the last play we didn’t execute worth a darn,” Long Beach Coach Joe Harrington said. “It was disarray. What can I say?”

The game was such an aggressive defensive battle that 4 points were the most that ever separated the teams.

Long Beach (7-10, 4-4) led, 30-29, at halftime but never regained the lead after Mike Doyle put the Gauchos ahead, 31-30, at the start of the second half.

And it was Doyle who hurt the 49ers the most late in the game, breaking ties of 47-47 and 51-51 with baskets.

“They get the ball to the right person at the right time,” Harrington said, speaking of Doyle, who led the Gauchos with 11 points, 8 in the second half.

Foul-shooting trouble was another reason why the 49ers’ upset bid fell short. Mitchell missed the front end of a one-and-one with 2:07 to go and Santa Barbara ahead, 53-51.

Then with 1:41 left and the score the same, Jeff Eastin went to the foul line with a chance to pull the 49ers even.

Eastin, who had missed only one free throw all season, made the first shot but missed the second.

Center John Hatten led the 49ers with 21 points. He had tied the game at 49-49, but his last attempt was blocked by Eric McArthur.

That was one of five chances the 49ers had to either tie or go ahead in the last 3 minutes.

“It was one of our better efforts of the year,” Harrington said. “It was a great college basketball game, and it was an indication what our players can do out there. We just weren’t quite good enough.”