Santa Barbara, Calif. --- UC Santa Barbara seized the lead from Cal State Fullerton during a third-quarter run, and the Gauchos never slowed down en route to a 57-37 victory at The Thunderdome on Wednesday night.
The win improved UCSB to 11-10 on the year and 6-2 in the Big West Conference. The Titans, on a five-game losing streak, fall to 4-18 on the year and 1-8 in league play.
Fullerton held a five-point, 22-17, lead at the half, and extended that lead to 29-23 with 4:29 to play in the third quarter after a Jade Vega lay-up, but that lead quickly evaporated.
The Gauchos ended the third quarter on a 13-1 run as UCSB shot 4-of-7 from the floor – draining two three-pointers - while the Titans turned the ball over once and missed on six attempts. The run was part of a third quarter that saw UC Santa Barbara outscore Fullerton 19-8.
Leading 36-30 to start the fourth, the Gauchos did not slow down, outscoring Fullerton 21-7 in the game's final 10 minutes as UC Santa Barbara scored 40 points in the second half.
UCSB was led by three players in double figures as Drew Edelman scored 14 points on 6-of-8 shooting and grabbed seven rebounds. Drea Toler came off the bench to score 14 points, knocking down two three-pointers while delivering three assists. Makala Roper added 11 points and four assists for the Gauchos.
Jordan Jackson scored 14 points to lead Cal State Fullerton, knocking down two three-pointers. Daeja Smith added nine points and five rebounds as the Titans played only seven in the game.
Fullerton led by as many as nine, 17-8, in the game at the 6:54 mark of the second quarter as Smith completed a three-point play for the Titans.
Cal State Fullerton held UCSB to a .240 shooting percentage (6-of-25) in the first half, but failed to build more than a five-point lead after turning the ball over 13 times in the first 20 minutes.
The Gauchos shot 56.0 percent (14-of-25) in the second half and drained 5-of-6 three pointers in the final 20 minutes.
Fullerton turned the ball over 19 times and shot 33.3 percent (13-of-39) from the floor for the game.
Cal State Fullerton returns to action at Long Beach State on Thursday, Feb. 9.
Notes: The Titans are 0-10 on the road this season…the Titans five-point halftime lead was its largest in Big West play this season…Fullerton's nine-point lead was its largest lead lost against Big West competition…Dhanyel Johnson fouled out in the fourth quarter.
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