UC Santa Barbara Ends UC Irvine’s Title Hopes

Amy Smith and Erin Alexander stretched the Big West Conference tournament championship trophy as high as they could Saturday, while Michelle Duckworth bear-hugged the game ball. This, at last, was UC Santa Barbara’s moment.

After all the practices, games and, finally, the tournament, the conference’s most dominant women’s team could claim the title. Santa Barbara took its place with an 81-66 victory over UC Irvine in front of 1,110 in the Lawlor Center. It was the first time the regular season champion has won the tournament since Santa Barbara did it in 1992.

The Gauchos (25-5) were regular season champions a year ago, but were bounced by Pacific in their first tournament game. Two years ago, Santa Barbara finished second, but again lost in its first game, to Cal State Fullerton.

“All I can think about is, ‘Finally,’ ” said Smith, a forward who scored 32 points. “We’ve been here so many times and not left the way we should have left.”

Smith, a senior, made the exit a proper one for the Gauchos.

She made 11 of 18 shots, ranging from power layups to long jumpers. As a result, the Gauchos needed only a token performance from their other senior standout, Erin Alexander, the conference’s player of the year. Alexander scored 12 points.

“I’m very happy to bid Amy and Erin a fond farewell,” Irvine Coach Colleen Matsuhara said.

“When someone who is a post player pulls up and hits NBA three-pointers there is not much you can do but shrug your shoulders and say, ‘Oh well.’ ”

Smith blunted two Irvine rallies. She had nine points in a 16-4 run after the Anteaters pulled to within 22-18. Early in the second half, she hit a three-pointer after Irvine cut the Gauchos’ lead to 42-34.

It completed a strong three-game run for Smith, the tournament’s most valuable player. She had scored 26 and 25 points in the first two games.

“Getting that first win got rid of the jitters,” Smith said about the Gauchos’ 78-54 victory over Boise State in the first round. “We relaxed. We were nervous today, but only because it was for the championship.”

Not that the Anteaters (17-13) didn’t try to spoil things.

Leticia Oseguera scored 14 of her 20 points in the first half and also had 14 rebounds. Guard Megan Stafford had 17 of her team-high 22 points in the second half.

The Anteaters trailed, 10-9, nine minutes into the game and had control of the tempo, as in a 67-65 overtime victory over the Gauchos earlier this season. But Santa Barbara’s pressure defense took over.

Irvine had only 10 turnovers in the first half, but the Gauchos scored 12 points off those mistakes.

After a Stafford three-pointer pulled Irvine to within 45-37, the Gauchos struck again, turning two turnovers into baskets. Smith then started and finished an 11-0 run that gave Santa Barbara a 61-41 lead with 10 minutes left.

From there, it was only a matter of time until the Gauchos had their third conference tournament title in the 1990s.