Box Score
UC SANTA BARBARA EDGES LOYOLA MARYMOUNT, 73-63 UCSB's Erick Ashe Totaled 18 Points As The Gauchos Picked Up Their First Division I Win This Year
Los Angeles, Calif., Wednesday, January 5, 2000 -- UC Santa Barbara's Erick Ashe scored 18 points, 16 in the first half, to lead the Gauchos to a 73-63 non-conference win tonight over Loyola Marymount at Gersten Pavilion in Los Angeles. The victory was the first over a Division I opponent this year for UCSB. The loss was the 11th straight for the Lions which set a new school record for most consecutive losses in a single season.
UC Santa Barbara (3-7) broke a 59-59 tie after LaRon Bryant converted a layup with 4:49 to play. The Gauchos outscored the Lions, 14-4, down the stretch and held them scoreless from the field through the final 7:22 of the game. UCSB hit five of their first seven three pointers in the first half and took a 40-28 advantage in to the break after shooting 46.9 percent (15-32). The Lions, who had 15 turnovers at the half, managed only 12 points through the first 12 minutes of the game. LMU shot 37.9 percent (11-29) in the first period and hit just 3-of-10 from three-point range.
Loyola Marymount (1-11) battled back in the second half, opening the period with a 16-4 run that cut UC Santa Barbara's lead to 46-44 with 12:36 remaining. LMU guard Stanley Thorne hit consecutive three-pointers to give the Lions their first lead of the game (54-50) with 9:04 to play. The Gauchos answered with 9-5 run to tie the game and used the momentum to outlast LMU in the final four minutes of the contest. UC Santa Barbara converted 6-of-8 free throws in the final 1:05 to clinch the victory. The Gauchos shot only 31.8 percent in the second half (7-22) while the Lions, who outscored UCSB, 35-33, converted 10-of-33 from the field, 5-of-16 from three-point range. The Gauchos finished the game with a shooting percentage of 40.7 compared to 35.6 for the Lions. Both teams claimed 39 rebounds in the contest.
Ashe led all scorers in the game with 18 points on 7-of-12 shooting from the field. Bryant followed with 15 points, and Mike Vukovich had a team-high seven rebounds along with eight points. The Lions were led by J.J. Sola who totaled 11 points, three assists and three steals. Elton Mashack had eight points and a game-high 11 rebounds, equaling his rebounding high this season. Curtis Slaughter followed with 10 points and three assists.
The Lions lost their fourth straight home game this year and their 11th straight since opening the season with a 78-74 win over California Baptist on Nov. 20. LMU returns to action Saturday when they play host to Occidental College in its final non-conference game of the 1999-2000 season. The game is slated to begin at 7:05 p.m. and can be heard live on KXLU Radio 88.9 FM in Los Angeles. The Lions are currently in the midst of a four-game homestand. LMU opens West Coast Conference play next weekend at home against San Diego Friday (Jan. 14) and Saint Mary's Saturday (Jan. 15).
- GO LIONS -
