MORAGA – The UCSB women’s basketball team couldn’t recover from a slow start on day two of the Saint Mary’s Thanksgiving Classic on Saturday, falling to the host Gaels 68-45 at UCU Pavilion.
The Gaucho offense was sloppy out of the gates, turning the ball over on five of the first six possessions. UCSB trailed 18-4 after one while shooting just 1-of-12 from the field.
UCSB started to get on track in the next quarter. The Gauchos got to the line for 11 second quarter free throws, knocking down six as they matched Saint Mary’s 15-15 in the period, but went into halftime down 33-19.
SMC pushed its lead into the 20s in the third, led by the shooting of senior guard Taycee Wedin who paced all players with 22 points on 4-of-8 from three-point range.
UCSB finished without a double-digit scorer for the first time this season, led by seven points from guards Kennedy Johnson and Megan Anderson. Johnson, a freshman, scored her first points as a Gaucho in her team-leading effort. It was also the second time Anderson has led the team in scoring through five games.
Point guard Danae Miller only took five shots, but was an efficient 2-of-4 on three-pointers for six points and two steals.
Junior center Ila Lane was held to season-lows in both points (5) and rebounds (7). She had pulled in at least 10 rebounds in each of her first four games.
The Gauchos are now 2-1 against WCC teams this season, having beaten LMU and Pepperdine earlier this month.
Following four straight on the road, UCSB returns home for four out of five games in the month of December.
The Gauchos will host Denver at 7 p.m. Dec. 2 on Food Drive Night at the Thunderdome.
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