Poor Start Sinks Gauchos
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If UC Santa Barbara is to become the quality women’s basketball team it believes it will be, the Gauchos will have to start playing in the first half as well as the second.
A flat start gave them no chance Friday against Stanford. A similar beginning Tuesday ultimately allowed Penn State to escape with a 76-73 win before 2,125 at Santa Barbara.
Santa Barbara shot 18.5% in the first half (5 of 27) and trailed Penn State--which shot 31.4% (11 of 35)--at halftime, 30-19.
Santa Barbara (1-2), shooting 44.4% in the second half, closed to within 75-73 with two seconds left on a free throw by Kayte Christian (24 points).
Penn State (1-1), which shot 70.8% in the second half, got a game-high 32 points from Kelly Mazzante.
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