The UC Santa Barbara women’s basketball team left the court with bowed heads after their 51-50 loss to local opponents, the California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo Mustangs, ending an 80-year home winning streak against the rivals. A clean, defensive start showed promise in the game’s first quarter, as the Gauchos stayed foulless until the last minute of regulation. Senior forward Cayla Williams stopped multiple offensive drives in the arc but ultimately missed a final shot to round out the first quarter at a 15-13 lead.

Maddy Fangio / Daily Nexus

The opening moments of the second quarter were disheartening at first, as the Mustangs sent an arc pass straight over the Gaucho defense for a simple layup, instantly evening the score 15-15. However, the Gauchos quickly canceled out the progress as junior center Laurel Rockwood drove for an assertive layup to regain the lead. 

This local rivalry manifested potently on the court, with constant manmarking and foul calls hindering fluidity of play. Junior guard Skylar Burke struggled to match Cal Poly’s sophomore forward Sierra Lichtie on breakaways, conceding multiple points. Gaucho fifth-year guard Alyssa Marin made up for the struggles, sinking threes of her own and dictating most Gaucho chances with dynamic fluidity. A 6-0 run by the Gauchos forced a Mustang timeout, proving worthwhile as the Mustangs returned to the court with a punching instant sitter from behind the arc, ending the half at 27 even.

The first half began nothing less than ideal for the Gauchos, with the Mustangs’ sophomore forward Mary Carter stealing the ball from the hands of Burke, driving for an immediate two points. This began a 9-0 run for the Mustangs, with the Gauchos taking more than three minutes to get on the board.

The game became increasingly personal, often looking like a match between Burke the Mustangs’ graduate student guard Ashley Hiraki. This didn’t stop the Gauchos from making a mark on the court, with multiple spin moves leading to slick passes and dominant layups from the clutch guard. The third quarter ended with a narrow Mustangs lead of 41-40, leaving tensions high for the final quarter.

Burke’s light continued to shine bright on the court with an opening three-pointer. UC Santa Barbara displayed impressive skill in the final minutes, as Gaucho fifth-year guard Anya Choice sent an assist to Rockwood through the legs of a Cal Poly defender, tightening the score to 47 even. 

With triumph still unclear and tensions at their climax, time was quickly running out. A drive inside the arc by Hiraki forced a Gaucho foul with 4.4 seconds left on the clock; the game tied 50-50. The Gauchos’ eyes dropped down to their toes as they realized the consequences: a Mustang free-throw proved to be the game winner, adding insult to injury in the Gaucho loss to their long-time local rivals.

The team looks to raise their heads as they prepare for their next matchup, where UCs will collide as the Gauchos look to topple UC Riverside on Jan. 16.

A version of this article appeared in the Jan. 16 print edition of the Daily Nexus.

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