Taller Gauchos give Anteaters short end

IRVINE — For the visiting UC Santa Barbara men’s basketball team Saturday night, it was go big or go home ... in sole possession of last place in the Big West Conference.

So, Gauchos Coach Bob Williams made the decision to heighten his team’s inside presence, and the result was a 65-56 come-from-behind triumph over UC Irvine in front of 2,310 at the Bren Events Center.

With more big men in the game, UCSB (9-13, 3-7 in conference) switched to a zone defense that seemed to bother the Anteaters (8-15, 5-5). It also shifted 6-foot-8 UCSB senior Chris Devine to the small forward spot, where he could face the basket and be more productive, offensively.

Devine made five of six second-half field-goal attempts, including two jumpers from at least 17 feet, to help the Gauchos salt away a victory and end a four-game conference losing streak that included blowing a 19-point halftime lead Thursday at Cal State Fullerton.

Devine, who finished with a team-high 19 points, triggered a 10-0 run to end the first half that allowed the visitors to close to within 30-29 at the break.

UCSB took its first lead since 16-14 on two Jaime Serna free throws midway through the second half.

After Brett Lauer converted a three-point play for the Anteaters, freshman guard Will Brew sparked a 5-0 UCSB surge with a three-pointer that eventually put the visitors up for good.

Devine scored six straight UCSB points in a span of nearly three minutes late in the contest as UCI continued to misfire on late three-point attempts.

UCSB’s inside defense, including 7-2 freshman Greg Somogyi, also contributed to some key late-game stops, allowing them to complete a two-game conference sweep of the Anteaters.

UCI freshman center Eric Wise had 13 of his game-high 23 points in a little more than the first 16 minutes. He finished nine of 18 from the field and made all five of his foul shots. He also collected a team-high six rebounds, as UCI lost the rebounding battle, 34-26.

Lauer, who had all of UCI’s four three-pointers, finished with 17 points. But no other UCI starter scored more than two.

Junior point guard Michael Hunter, who returned after a one-game absence due to a sprained left ankle, came off the bench to score six points for UCI, which committed six of its nine turnovers after halftime.

“[The Gauchos’] ability to go big was one of the keys,” UCI Coach Pat Douglass said. “They really pounded the boards well.”

The taller lineup also allowed UCSB to take advantage of foul-plagued 6-8 UCI senior Kevin Bland playing only 17 minutes.

“Bland getting in early foul trouble, [UCSB] going big, Devine’s play and them having some guys step up and hit threes in the second half were the four critical factors,” Douglass said.

The Gauchos made all four of their three-point attempts in the final 20 minutes, after netting three of nine in the first half.

Brew, who made six of seven from threedom in the Gauchos’ 68-61 home win over UCI Jan. 8, drained two three-pointers in the second half Saturday. Brew has made eight of 10 three-point tries in two games against UCI. He is six of 21 against all other opponents this season.

“They came in shooting [30.6% from three-point range in conference], but they had some guys step up and bury some threes,” Douglass said.

Williams said getting more size on the floor Saturday was due to a combination of factors.

“When we had our normal-size [three-guard] lineup out there, we went man-to-man and when we went big, we went zone,” Williams said. “When we went big, we put [Devine] on the perimeter, which is really something he likes doing ... We haven’t been finishing games or playing great so, out of frustration, we wanted to switch things up.”

Williams smiled when asked about Brew’s propensity for burning the Anteaters.

“He loves this place; loves Irvine period,” Williams said of Brew, who finished with 14 points.

Jesse Byrd (four points and six rebounds) and Sam Phippen (five points, five boards) added front-line depth off the bench for the winners.

Big West Conference

UC Santa Barbara 65, UC Irvine 56

UCSB – Serna 4, Devine 19, Brew 14, Posley 3, Roemer 3, Nunnally 6, Phippen 5, Powell 5, Byrd 4, Somogyi 2.

3-pt. goals – Brew 2, Posley 1, Roemer 1, Devine 1, Phippen 1, Powell 1.

UCI – Bland 2, Wise 23, Lauer 17, Rembert 2, Strings 2, Hunter 6, DeCasas 4.

3-pt-. goals – Lauer 4.

Fouled out – Lauer.

Halftime – UCI, 30-29.

BARRY FAULKNER may be reached at (714) 966-4615 or at [email protected].