JaQuori McLaughlin scored seven of his 19 points in overtime and Devearl Ramsey made all eight of his free throws during the extra period as UCSB completed a two-game, men’s basketball sweep of Hawaii, 81-74, late Saturday night in Honolulu.
The Gauchos’ 10th-straight victory — one off the school record set in 1989 — keeps them a game ahead of UC Irvine in the Big West Conference race with an 8-2 mark. UCSB is 14-3 overall.
McLaughlin’s 19 points came on 7-for-13 shooting and included a pair of three-pointers in four attempts. He also had five assists, four rebounds and two steals. Ramsey, UCSB’s other senior guard, added 17 points while making 10-of-10 foul shots and headed up the defense with three steals.
McLaughlin is now within six points of becoming the 31st Gaucho to reach 1,000 for a career. Teammate Amadou Sow became the 30th to surpass that milestone with his first basket on Saturday. He finished with16 points.
The Gauchos regrouped in overtime after having fatigued down the stretch of regulation, surrendering a 15-point lead. McLaughlin’s mid-key jumper was their only points during a late, 5½-minute stretch in which they committed four straight turnovers and missed two free throws. They had a season-high 18 turnovers in the game.
Hawaii (7-7, 5-7 Big West) turned a 58-51 deficit into a 62-60 lead, getting a three-pointer by James Jean-Marie with 1:49 left and a driving bank shot by Casdon Jardine with 58 seconds to go.
But McLaughlin drove the lane and flipped a short lob pass which Miles Norris dunked to tie the game with 33.6 seconds on the clock. Norris finished with 11 points and four rebounds.
Hawaii missed a three-pointer to end regulation, McLaughlin drilled a three to start overtime, and UCSB never trailed again.
McLaughlin assisted another dunk by Norris with a pick-and-roll play and then beat the shot clock with a jump shot for a 71-67 lead. Ramsey and McLaughlin kept the Rainbow Warriors at bay for the remainder of overtime by making a combined 10-for-10 free throws.
The Gauchos, who led the Rainbow Warriors 39-27 at halftime, out-shot them 53.7% to 45.1% and out-rebounded them 30-26 in the game. They pulled out to their biggest lead of 46-31 with 15:20 to go and still led 58-51 with 6:04 left in regulation when Hawaii made its move.
UCSB’s month on the road will end next week when it plays host to third-place Cal State Bakersfield (8-4) on Friday at 8 p.m. and Saturday at 7 p.m.
email: mpatton@newspress.com
