17-12, 11-5
UC Santa Barbara
8-21, 3-13
Cal Poly Secures # 2 Seed at BWC Tourney with 79-68 Win over UCSB
3/8/2014 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – The Cal Poly women's basketball team broke open a tight game late in the final period to pull away for a 79-68 Big West Conference win over UC Santa Barbara on Saturday afternoon in both teams regular season finale. With the win the Mustangs secure the No. 2 seed at the Big West Conference Tournament and will not return to the court until the semifinal round on Friday, March 14 at the Honda Center.
Junior Ariana Elegado led the team when she scored a career-high 32 points. The guard was 11 of 22 from the floor and six of 13 from long range. Her all-around game included three assists and four rebounds. With 18:51 left in the game, Elegado converted a running jumper in the lane for her 1,001st point of her career, becoming the 12th player in school history to pass the mark. She joins seniors Molly Schlemer and Jonae Ervin passing the mark this season.
Cal Poly heads into tournament play after the win with a 17-12 overall record and an 11-5 mark in Big West games. UCSB falls to 8-21 overall and 3-13 in conference play.
Junior Kristen Ale and Schlemer added 13 points each in the game while Ervin scored 12. Schlemer recorded her 14th double-double of the season when she led the team with 10 rebounds.
Cal Poly shot 40 percent from the floor while UCSB hit 44 percent of her shots from the floor. The Mustangs hit eight of 24 from long range and converted 17 of 23 from the line. UCSB made just one of six from beyond the arc and went to the line seven times, making five.
Cal Poly turned the ball over just eight times (UCSB 10) and grabbed 45 rebounds (UCSB 41).
In a first half that had the scored tied 10 times and with eight lead changes, Elegado poured in 15 points when she made five of 10 from the floor and three of seven from long range. Schlemer helped out with nine points. Cal Poly held its largest lead of the half, five points, with 4:14 left in the period. UCSB's largest lead was two points multiple times. Cal Poly held a 36-35 edge at the break.
Cal Poly opened up the second half, building a five point lead on a layup by Schlemer with 14:06 on the clock. UCSB would tie the game, 50-50, at 11:40 and surrender the lead, 58-57, with 7:13 left in the game. The Mustangs would come right back to hold a five point lead (63-58) on a three by Elegado with 5:25 on the clock. UCSB would never get any closer than four the rest of the way with the Mustangs converting its last six free throw attempts to pull away for the 79-68 win.
