Trojans Win With Strong Finish

UC Santa Barbara outplayed the USC women’s basketball team on the boards Friday night at the Sports Arena--for 38 minutes.

But when it really counted, the Trojans took command of the defensive basket, helping them earn a 60-56 victory before 703.

The win ended a three-game losing streak to the Gauchos (1-2), who have won five consecutive Big West championships.

Santa Barbara outrebounded USC (1-2) in the first half, 19-14, and 14-3 on the defensive end. For the game, it was 40-31, Santa Barbara, in rebounds.

But when the teams went into the final two minutes with the Trojans ahead, 57-56, Coach Chris Gobrecht’s inside players took over. Tiffany Elmore, Ebony Hoffman and Jessica Cheeks grabbed rebounds when the Gauchos missed shots. Santa Barbara didn’t score in the last 2:51.

The game-turning play came with 8.1 seconds left at 57-56 when the Gauchos’ Debby Caine fumbled the ball, then kicked it out of bounds. In the final seconds, Elmore and Denise Woods made three free throws.

Gobrecht credited a heightened defensive intensity in the second half. USC led at the break, 30-27.

“We had to make them miss,” she said.

Woods, who had a game-high 16 points, made two major shots late, the first with 6:02 to go when she made a 15-footer to cut a Gaucho lead to 49-48. Two minutes later, her jump shot tied it at 52.