Saturday, March 1
Santa Barbara, Calif.
4:00 p.m.
California State University at Northridge
4-23,2-16Big West
52
at
74
UC Santa Barbara
18-11,12-7Big West
1
2
3
4
F
CSUN
8
14
15
15
52
UC Santa Barbara
20
16
12
26
74
Photo by: Chuck Marvel
CSUN Falls to UCSB in Road Big West Contest
3/1/2025 6:55:00 PM | Women's Basketball
SANTA BARBARA, Calif --- CSUN Women's Basketball fell, 74-52 to the UC Santa Barbara Gauchos Saturday afternoon at The Thunderdome. Nnenna Orji led all CSUN scorers with 14 points while Erica Adams added 10 points of her own.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Gauchos began the game on an 8-0 run before CSUN stopped the run via a three-point bucket from Kayla Hopson to make it 8-3 at the 6:36 mark. UCSB then countered with a mini 5-0 run, when Hopson once again put an end to the run by draining a jump shot. Three free-throws by Nnenna Orji accounted for the rest of the first quarter scoring as UCSB maintained a 20-8 run after the first.
After a made jumpshot by the Gauchos to kick off the second quarter, CSUN went on an 8-0 run, cutting the lead to single digits as Orji made a turnaround layup to get the lead to eight at 24-16 with 4:46 left in the half. Unfortunately for the Matadors, after cutting the lead to eight, UCSB went on a 10-0 run.
The Matadors struck back with a corner three pointer by Kelly Tumlin to make it 34-19 with 2:56 left until intermission. After a made layup from the Gauchos, CSUN drained another shot from distance, this time from Jenna Kilty. The score would be 36-22 heading into intermission.
2ND HALF
After a three-point bucket from the Gauchos to start the second, CSUN got a couple buckets back from the efforts of Orji and Erika Aspajo. At the 6:40 mark, a layup by Orji trimmed the lead to 12 at 39-27. UCSB went on a mini 5-0 run before Hopson made a second chance layup with 3:59 left to play in the quarter. CSUN closed out the quarter on a 7-4 run as the scoreboard read 48-37 entering the fourth.
In the fourth quarter, Morgan Edwards cut the lead to nine with a layup, three seconds into the period. After UCSB countered with a jumper, Adams made a three pointer from the corner, to get the lead to eight at 50-42 with 9:22 remaining. Santa Barbara responded with a 9-2 run to push the lead back further. An Edwards layup broke the run at the 6:15 mark, making the score 59-46. Unfortunately, UCSB went on a 7-0 run following that bucket from Edwards.
Jenna Kilty made a shot from downtown after the Gaucho run, as time wasn't on CSUN's side. UCSB's lead was too much to overcome when the final buzzer rang.
NEWS AND NOTES
UP NEXT
CSUN will return home to play its home finale, Thursday, March 6 against UC Riverside. The game will be streamed live on ESPN+ with Jill Painter-Lopez on the call. Tip-off is slated for 6:00 p.m.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Gauchos began the game on an 8-0 run before CSUN stopped the run via a three-point bucket from Kayla Hopson to make it 8-3 at the 6:36 mark. UCSB then countered with a mini 5-0 run, when Hopson once again put an end to the run by draining a jump shot. Three free-throws by Nnenna Orji accounted for the rest of the first quarter scoring as UCSB maintained a 20-8 run after the first.
After a made jumpshot by the Gauchos to kick off the second quarter, CSUN went on an 8-0 run, cutting the lead to single digits as Orji made a turnaround layup to get the lead to eight at 24-16 with 4:46 left in the half. Unfortunately for the Matadors, after cutting the lead to eight, UCSB went on a 10-0 run.
The Matadors struck back with a corner three pointer by Kelly Tumlin to make it 34-19 with 2:56 left until intermission. After a made layup from the Gauchos, CSUN drained another shot from distance, this time from Jenna Kilty. The score would be 36-22 heading into intermission.
2ND HALF
After a three-point bucket from the Gauchos to start the second, CSUN got a couple buckets back from the efforts of Orji and Erika Aspajo. At the 6:40 mark, a layup by Orji trimmed the lead to 12 at 39-27. UCSB went on a mini 5-0 run before Hopson made a second chance layup with 3:59 left to play in the quarter. CSUN closed out the quarter on a 7-4 run as the scoreboard read 48-37 entering the fourth.
In the fourth quarter, Morgan Edwards cut the lead to nine with a layup, three seconds into the period. After UCSB countered with a jumper, Adams made a three pointer from the corner, to get the lead to eight at 50-42 with 9:22 remaining. Santa Barbara responded with a 9-2 run to push the lead back further. An Edwards layup broke the run at the 6:15 mark, making the score 59-46. Unfortunately, UCSB went on a 7-0 run following that bucket from Edwards.
Jenna Kilty made a shot from downtown after the Gaucho run, as time wasn't on CSUN's side. UCSB's lead was too much to overcome when the final buzzer rang.
NEWS AND NOTES
- With the defeat, CSUN is now 4-23 on the season, 2-16 in Big West play.
- With 14 points, Orji has scored in double-figures in nine out of the last 11 games played.
- Adams had 10 points today, her first game scoring in double-figures since the last time these two teams played on Jan. 30
- Kilty tallied three made shots from distance, as she had three out of the seven made total.
- Aspajo led the team with five assists.
UP NEXT
CSUN will return home to play its home finale, Thursday, March 6 against UC Riverside. The game will be streamed live on ESPN+ with Jill Painter-Lopez on the call. Tip-off is slated for 6:00 p.m.
Team Stats
CSUN
UCSB
FG%
.290
.456
3FG%
.250
.382
FT%
.474
.900
RB
35
44
TO
13
19
STL
6
7
Game Leaders
Pts
14
FGM
4
3FGM
0
FTM
6
Pts
10
FGM
4
3FGM
2
FTM
0
Pts
9
FGM
3
3FGM
3
FTM
0
Pts
9
FGM
3
3FGM
1
FTM
2
Players Mentioned
G
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's BasketballG
/ Women's BasketballG/F
/ Women's BasketballF
/ Women's Basketball
G
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