UC Santa Barbara
Buzzer Shot Lifts UCSB Over Cal Poly, 71-70
1/27/2011 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. – Junior forward James Nunnally drove down the right side of the lane and banked home a running 10-foot jumper at the buzzer to lift UC Santa Barbara to a 71-70 victory over Cal Poly in a Big West Conference men's basketball game Thursday night before 2,922 in Mott Gym.
Senior guard Shawn Lewis hit a three-pointer from the top of the key to give Cal Poly a 70-69 lead with 5.6 seconds remaining. After a UCSB timeout, Nunnally took a pass on the right side in the front court, dribbled toward the key and hit the jumper from the baseline off the glass as the clock ran out for the Gauchos, who improved to 11-7 overall and 4-3 in Big West games.
Cal Poly, led by Lewis and junior forward David Hanson with 20 points each, fell to 8-11 and 4-4. For Hanson, it was his 13th double-digit scoring game in 19 outings this season.
The game, televised in San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara counties by KSBY-TV, was tight throughout. UC Santa Barbara's biggest lead was eight points with 12:36 to go in the first half and Cal Poly led by six points with 8:21 to play in the game.
The score was tied nine times and the lead changed hands 13 times throughout the contest.
Cal Poly led 67-62 with 3:53 to play on a layup by Hanson, but the visiting Gauchos scored the next seven points of the game for a 69-67 advantage. Junior forward Jaime Serna hit a jumper, junior guard Orlando Johnson made two free throws, Nunnally made one of two free throws and Johnson capped the run with a jumper with 20 seconds to play.
Lewis hit his three-pointer with 5.6 seconds to play for Cal Poly and Nunnally hit the game winner at the buzzer for the Gauchos.
Junior center Will Donahue produced seven points and 11 rebounds for Cal Poly. Sophomore guard Chris O'Brien added nine points and four assists.
Game-high scoring honors went to Johnson with 24 points, sinking six of 14 floor shots and 10 of 13 free throws. Nunnally added 13 points and senior guard Justin Joyner had 12.
Cal Poly made a season-high 13 three-pointers on 26 attempts (50 percent) and finished with 42 percent accuracy from the floor (21 of 50). UC Santa Barbara connected on half of its 48 field goal attempts, including seven of 15 from long range.
Cal Poly outrebounded the Gauchos 31-28. In addition to Donahue's 11 (his 10th double-digit rebounding game of the season), Hanson added nine boards for the Mustangs. Nunnally and senior forward Jon Pastorek each had seven boards for the Gauchos.
The Mustangs' 12 turnovers were three more than UC Santa Barbara.
The loss dropped Cal Poly into a fourth-place tie with Cal State Fullerton in the Big West standings at 4-4, a half-game behind UC Santa Barbara and Cal State Northridge at 4-3. The Gauchos host the Matadors on Saturday night. Long Beach State leads the conference with a 7-2 record.
