HENDERSON, Nev. — The Highlanders erased a second-half deficit and closed the game with key plays in the final minutes to defeat No. 6 seed UC Santa Barbara 58-53 on Wednesday in the opening round of the Big West Basketball Championship.

With the win, the Highlanders advance to Thursday's quarterfinal round, where they will face No. 3 seed UC Davis at 2:30 p.m.

Hannah Wickstrom led UC Riverside with 26 points, while Kaylani Polk added 11. Seneca Hackley scored eight points, and Bria Shine finished with five points and five assists as the Highlanders improved their postseason run with a composed finish late.

UC Riverside came out strong and took a 17-13 lead after the opening quarter. The Highlanders kept that momentum going with a 6-0 run stretching into the second period to build a 19-13 advantage.

UC Santa Barbara battled back before halftime, using a 13-7 stretch to even the score at 26 entering the break.

The Gauchos then seized momentum in the third quarter, opening the second half on a 9-0 run to take a 35-26 lead. UC Riverside responded with its best stretch of the afternoon, answering with a 17-7 run to close the quarter. Wickstrom knocked down a 3-pointer during the surge, and Taylor Swanson added two free throws in the closing seconds to give the Highlanders a 43-42 lead heading into the fourth.

The final quarter remained tight throughout. After UC Santa Barbara moved in front 50-49 with 4:41 to play, UC Riverside delivered the game's decisive push. Wickstrom scored on back-to-back layups, and Shine followed with a jumper at the 2:04 mark to cap a 6-0 run and give the Highlanders a 55-50 lead.

UC Riverside then finished the job at the free-throw line and on the defensive end. Wickstrom converted two free throws with 23 seconds left to extend the lead to six, and Maya Chocano added a free throw in the final seconds to seal the five-point victory.

The Highlanders held UC Santa Barbara to 34.8 percent shooting from the field and just 3 of 18 from beyond the arc.