UC Santa Barbara's Aidan Mahaney stole the show at the Walter Pyramid, scoring 21 points to propel his team to a 74-71 win over Long Beach State. The Gauchos' victory was predicted by CHD Scout, who had them winning by 6.5 points, and although the margin was narrower than expected, the outcome was spot on. Mahaney's performance was matched by Long Beach State's Petar Majstorovic, who also scored 21 points and grabbed 6 rebounds in a losing effort.
The game got off to a blistering start, with UC Santa Barbara taking a 44-29 lead into halftime. The Gauchos' offense was clicking on all cylinders, with Mahaney and his supporting cast of Colin Smith and CJ Shaw, who each scored 11 points, causing problems for the Long Beach State defense. However, the 49ers refused to back down, and a strong second-half performance, led by Majstorovic and Isaiah Lewis, who scored 16 points, saw them narrow the deficit to just 3 points.
Despite being outscored 42-30 in the second half, UC Santa Barbara's first-half cushion was just enough to secure the win. The Gauchos' ability to hold off the Long Beach State surge was a reflection of their resilience and determination. Shaquil Bender's 15 points for the 49ers were not enough to overcome the deficit, and UC Santa Barbara emerged victorious.
CHD Scout Report Card
CORRECTPredicted
Final
The win improves UC Santa Barbara's record to 13-7, while Long Beach State falls to 8-13. Although the Gauchos were expected to win, the narrow margin of victory will be a concern for coach Joe Pasternack, who will be looking for his team to be more consistent in the second half of games. On the other hand, Long Beach State can take heart from their second-half performance, which showed that they have the talent and determination to compete with better-ranked teams.
From a resume perspective, this game was a Quadrant 3 loss for Long Beach State, which will not significantly harm their tournament chances, but will not help them either. For UC Santa Barbara, the win was a Quadrant 4 victory, which, while not particularly impressive, will still be a valuable addition to their resume. As the Gauchos continue to navigate their schedule, they want to build on this win and secure more impressive victories to boost their tournament chances. With their current net ranking of 143, UC Santa Barbara still has work to do to secure a spot in the tournament, but this win will certainly help their cause.