SOUTHLAND ROUNDUP

UC Santa Barbara 79, UC Irvine 68--The Gauchos completed their worst-to-first run by rallying from an 11-point deficit to win in front of 1,460 at the Irvine Bren Center.

Santa Barbara (13-12, 11-4) finished 7-19 overall and was last in the Big West Conference’s Western Division last season. The Gauchos lost their first eight games this season, but are closing in on their first winning season since 1992-93.

Irvine (5-20, 1-14) led, 60-49, with 10:59 left before the Gauchos’ Erick Ashe scored 17 of his 22 points during 30-8 run that sent the Anteaters to their 14th consecutive loss.

Jerry Green had a game-high 27 points for Irvine.

Santa Barbara’s Erick Ashe made a three-pointer to start a 30-8 run that wiped out a 60-49 Anteater lead. Ashe, who finished with 22 points, had 17 during that stretch. Ashe’s three-pointer put Santa Barbara ahead, 69-66, with 3:51 left. He then made two free throws for a 71-66 lead and Irvine was done.

“We would have lost that game a year ago,” senior forward B.J. Bunton said. “We would have just folded up. We have big hearts this season. We keep fighting.”

Bunton scored 14 of his 17 points in the second half.

Irvine, other than Green, had little offensive initiative. Green, who was 12 of 17 from the field, had 13 points in the second half. The rest of the Anteaters scored 15.