Gauchos Hold Off 49ers, 71-65

UC Santa Barbara beat Cal State Long Beach, 71-65, Saturday night, its fifth consecutive Big West Conference victory.

A steal by backup guard Idris Jones with 1:27 to play sealed the victory before 6,000 at the Events Center.

Long Beach, which led by 36-34 with 13:46 to play, trailed by 65-61 with 1:55 to go when 49er forward Lucious Harris, who finished with 21 points, got an outlet pass from guard Bobby Sears on the right side and started the 49ers on a fast break. Rod Hannibal appeared to bealone when Harris threw a cross-court pass in his direction for what appeared would be a breakaway basket.

But Jones raced back and caught the pass before it got to Hannibal.

Santa Barbara (14-4, 6-2) then got two free throws from Lucius Davis and three from Ray Stewart.

“Our defense was not up to the task tonight,” Gaucho Coach Jerry Pimm said. “It has been in the past, but tonight they shot 50% and did some things that we could not stop.”

It was only the fourth time this season that a team has shot 50% or better from the field against the Gauchos, who have won six consecutive games overall.

Long Beach (11-7, 5-4) opened the second half by outscoring Santa Barbara, 11-2, to take a 36-34 lead with 13:46 to play. But a basket by Davis, who finished with 28 points, put the Gauchos ahead for good, 39-37.

Santa Barbara took a 14-5 lead as Long Beach made only four of its first 14 field goal tries. Still, the 49ers trailed by only 20-16 with 8:03 to play in the half after a three-point basket by Harris.

But the Gauchos soon went on an 8-0 run, keyed by Davis’ two baskets.