UCRMBB Pullin Dribbling 4
52
UC Santa Barbara UCSB 17-4,11-3 Big West
68
Winner UC Riverside UCR 11-7,6-4 Big West
UC Santa Barbara UCSB
17-4,11-3 Big West
52
Final
68
UC Riverside UCR
11-7,6-4 Big West
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
UC Santa Barbara UCSB 20 32 52
UC Riverside UCR 34 34 68

Game Recap: Men's Basketball |

Highlanders Never Trail, Snap UCSB's 13-game Streak, 68-52

Presented by Altura Credit Union

RIVERSIDE, Calif.— The UC Riverside Men's Basketball team snapped UC Santa Barbara's 13-game winning streak with a wire-to-wire, 68–52, dominant victory over the Gauchos in the SRC Arena Saturday. 

"This is a very good win for the program and for our team. Wire-to-wire against the first place team after a close loss last night shows that our group has heart and character. I'm not surprised by the resiliency because they have done it before, just proud." said UCR Head Coach and UC Santa Barbara graduate Mike Magpayo.

"The win to me officially establishes us in the Big West. UCSB was as hot as any in the country  and to end it took a high level performance, the kind we hope to keep putting out as we close the regular season and into the Big West Tourney.", Magpayo went on to say. 

The Highlanders were led by sophomore point guard Zyon Pullin's 21 points and five assists–both were game highs. Jock Perry overcame foul troubles to add 11 points on 4-7 shooting in 18 minutes of play. Flynn Cameron scored 10 points and pulled down five boards 

UCR scored the first four points of the game and rode that early momentum to a 24-17 advantage with 5:34 to play in the first half. Stifling defense and active rebounding were key to the Highlanders' success in the first half, which they closed outscoring the Gauchos 10-3 to take a 34-20 lead into the locker room. UCSB was held to just 28 percent shooting, 1-6 from three-point range, in the first 20 minutes of play, while the hosts shot 40 percent from the field as well as from the three-point line (4-10). 

The offense for both teams was unleashed in the second with both clubs making significant runs. UC Santa Barbara found themselves down 18, 45-27 with under 14 minutes to play, when they reeled off eight straight points to cut the deficit to 10 points. After trading buckets with UCSB, UC Riverside responded to the Gauchos' energy with a 7-0 Wil Tattersal (3) and Arinze Chidom (4) led Highlander charge to restore order, 54-37. The 10-point margin would be the smallest of the second half as the blue and gold pushed it to 22, when Oliver Hayes-Brown scored after grabbing an offensive rebound with five minutes remaining. Hayes-Brown had four points and a game-high 11 rebounds (10 in the first half) in 19 rugged minutes before fouling out-UCR was +18 when he was on the floor.
 
The visitors had a late spurt to cut the UCR lead back down to 14, but it was too little too late as the Highlanders went on to claim the, 68-52, victory and earn a series split-their fourth in five Big West weekend back-to-backs. The 52 points scored are a season-low for the conference leading Gauchos. 

Next up for the Highlanders is a series at CSUN March 5-6 in the Matadome. A win would help UCR secure the best conference winning percentage in DI program history, the previous mark of .500 (8-8) was established by the 2008-09 team.