Box Score

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. - Josh Ritchart's three with 2:30 remaining in Thursday night's Big West game from the Thunderdome in Santa Barbara, Calif., pulled UC Davis within eight, but UC Santa Barbara scored the game's final six points to extend its advantage and defeat the Aggies, 74-60.

Thursday's result, a rare one experienced by UC Davis this season, pushes the Aggies' record to 21-5 overall and 11-2 in league play. UCSB improved to 15-12 and 8-5.

Corey Hawkins led all Aggies with 18 points, seven of which were earned in as many attempts at the stripe. Josh Fox hit six shots from the floor and four from the stripe to finish with 16 points.

Coming off the bench with Fox, Neal Monson chipped in five points, and led his team with seven rebounds. Combined, Fox and Monson were responsible for all 21 UC Davis bench points.

By comparison, UCSB's reserves postedonly 10.

"I though Josh and Neal came in and gave us some life inside (the paint) with their physicality," said UC Davis head coach Jim Les following the game.

"We had been defending really well until tonight," said Les, "but credit Santa Barbara because that's a good offensive team."

Michael Bryson led the Gauchos with a game-high 20 points, Alan Williams and John Green each added another 15. Combined, the trio was responsible for more that two-thirds of UCSB's offense.

Tied at 36 early in the second half, UCSB scored seven unanswered points to take the lead for good. Up to that point of the contest, 10 tied scores and eight lead changes took place.

The Aggies remained within striking distance until the Gauchos' final six-point spurt thanks to Hawkins, Fox, Monson, and the team's success from the free throw line.

Prior to the team's final two free throws, UC Davis connected on its first 14 attempts.

Even though Thursday's loss ended a seven-game win streak, UC Davis has won 12 of the last 14 games and still controls its destiny heading into the final three games of the year.

UC Davis will continue its final road trip of the season, in San Luis Obispo, when the Aggies visit Cal Poly on Saturday night. Tipoff from the Robert A. Mott Athletics Center is set for 7 p.m.

Men's basketball will enter that matchup with a one-game lead over a second place UC Irvine team that will face the Gauchos, inside the Thunderdome, on Saturday.

UC SANTA BARBARA 74, UC DAVIS 60

UC DAVIS (21-5, 11-2 BWC)

Hawkins, Corey 5-11 7-7 18; Fox, Josh 6-11 4-6 16; Ritchart, Josh 3-6 0-0 8;Johnson, Avery 2-4 2-2 7; Monson, Neal 2-4 1-1 5; Adenrele, J.T. 2-2 0-0 4;Graham, Darius 1-5 0-0 2; Les, Tyler 0-2 0-0 0; Lemar, Brynton 0-1 0-0 0.Totals 21-46 14-16 60.

UC SANTA BARBARA (15-12, 8-5 BWC)

Bryson, Michael 7-15 2-2 20; Williams, Alan 7-18 1-2 15; Green, John 7-140-0 15; Vincent, Gabe 3-5 0-1 9; Smith, DaJuan 4-5 0-1 8; Harmon, Zalmico0-0 5-6 5; Beeler, Sam 1-1 0-1 2; Taylor, T.J. 0-1 0-0 0; Brewe, Mitch 0-00-0 0; Childress, Eric 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 29-59 8-13 74.

UC Davis............................ 30 30 - 60
UC Santa Barbara.............. 30 44 - 74

3-point goals--UC Davis 4-16 (Ritchart, Josh 2-5; Johnson, Avery 1-2;Hawkins, Corey 1-4; Graham, Darius 0-1; Les, Tyler 0-2; Lemar, Brynton 0-1;Fox, Josh 0-1), UC Santa Barbara 8-17 (Bryson, Michael 4-9; Vincent, Gabe3-4; Green, John 1-2; Taylor, T.J. 0-1; Williams, Alan 0-1). Fouled out--UCDavis-None, UC Santa Barbara-None. Rebounds--UC Davis 28 (Monson, Neal 7),UC Santa Barbara 33 (Williams, Alan 16). Assists--UC Davis 10 (Fox, Josh 3),UC Santa Barbara 21 (Bryson, Michael 4; Green, John 4; Williams, Alan 4;Vincent, Gabe 4). Total fouls--UC Davis 14, UC Santa Barbara 15. Technicalfouls--UC Davis-TEAM, UC Santa Barbara-None. A-2823