Jeff Newton:
Gauchos hold off Long Beach State in Big West Tourney Final, Punch Ticket to NCAA Tournament
Bless you Jamie Serna, for giving up your body with the game on the line. Bless you James Nunnally, for knocking down big shot after big shot as the lead slowly slipped away. Bless you Orlando Johnson, for coolly sinking free throw after free throw in the second half. Bless you Coach Williams, for keeping your team’s head in the game as the great season nearly evaporated at the worst possible time.
To the men’s basketball team, thank you for an undefeated home record in conference play. Thank you for giving Isla Vista a reason to smile during finals weekend. Thank you for following a regular season title with a Big West tournament crown. Thank you for making UCSB proud at the Anaheim Convention Center. Thank you for a sterling year that produced the conference player of the year, coach of the year and the Big West’s lone participant in the NCAA tournament.
We’ll probably draw a No. 15 seed, lose to Duke by 30 and call it a year. Doesn’t matter, though; the Gauchos have their fifth big dance bid in school history.
UCSB successfully defended their one seed tournament ranking with a 69-64 win that left fans hopeful, perplexed and ultimately elated. James Powell, Johnson and Nunnally drained huge free throws down the stretch to preserve the victory.
Johnson led all scorers with 20 points, on 4-11 shooting. While he couldn’t find a rhythm from outside, the Big West player of the year consistently got to the rack, and the line. He put on a clinic from the charity stripe, finishing 11-12. The freebies proved valuable for the Gauchos, who as a group finished 21-24 (87.5%) from the stripe.
Nunnally added 19 points on 6-10 shooting, 3-5 from downtown. His final three of the night, with just over a minute left in regulation, pushed Santa Barbara’s lead to four.
It was a career defining moment for the team’s second leading scorer. Long Beach State strangled the momentum with their pressure half court defense, streaky jump shooting and aggressive rebounding on the offensive glass. With UCSB’s lead cut to just one, and the allure of the big dance slipping away, Nunally drew separation near the top left of the arc. The forward never hesitated as he launched the wide open three with assured confidence. Bang! Gauchos up by four.
Still, the two possession lead proved far from safe. Long Beach State answered with a quick two. Then Orlando Johnson made a mistake that could have haunted him, and Gaucho fans everywhere, for years to come.
The 49ers hounding on ball defense, which led to a season high 29 Gaucho turnovers on January 14th, gave UCSB fits in the closing 10 minutes. With just over 43 seconds left, Johnson picked up his dribble, desperately searched for a teammate and passed the ball to, well, no one in particular. Turnovers, 17 on this night, six from Johnson, nearly spoiled a great celebration in IV.
The ball quietly bounced out of bounds as Long Beach State took possession, needing a two to tie and a three to lead. Just a few seconds later, Big West player of the year nominee TJ Robinson found himself at the line, with a chance to even the score. His first free throw attempt wasn’t even close.
The lefty clanged his first try off the front of the rim, before calmly knocking down the second freebie. With twenty seconds left, trailing by one, Long Beach State had no choice but to foul. They fouled the wrong guy as James Powell, a 91% free throw shooter, provided a vintage senior moment. The streaky shooting guard hardly blinked as his two successful attempts pushed the Gaucho lead to three, 67-64. While he shot just 2-8 from the floor, Powell’s four vital free throws kept Bob Williams happy.
After a quick timeout, the Gauchos needed one stand, one play, one big moment to seal their spot atop their small conference. Jamie Serna saved the day. He stepped in on an LBSU drive, threw his body in the paint and took the most important charge in the history of UCSB basketball. The sophomore, much like he’s done all year, quietly provided a solid performance with ten points on 5-10 from the floor.
The bench, after hearing the call, erupted in controlled jubilation. They could sense the moment. Nunnally and Powell each sunk two more free throws as the clock winded to zero.
Robinson, Casper Ware and Greg Plater kept the 49ers close. Long Beach State trailed by five at half and picked away at the lead with Plater’s four threes, Robinson’s 15 points and Wise’s 19 and five steals. Wise’s pesky, high energy lane jumping led to fast breaks and easy buckets. They also led to Williams calling two quick time outs. Luckily, his experienced team never lost their composure.
You’ll see UCSB on a bracket sheet come Sunday afternoon. They’ll likely be a No. 14 or 15 seed, drawing a big name program like Syracuse or Ohio State in the first round. The game may not be close and the Gauchos stint in the game’s biggest playoff system may be short lived. Regardless of how things turn out next week, Williams, Johnson, Nunally and the boys made the student body proud. At the very least, they offered a great escape for stressed out undergrads all over campus.
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