FRESNO, Calif. – Down 13 with 51 seconds remaining, Fresno State rallied back to within two in just over 40 seconds, but that was as close as the Bulldogs would get, falling 69-65 to UC Santa Barbara on Monday night at the Save Mart Center.
Isaiah Hill finished with a team-high 19 points, with eight of those coming during Fresno State's 11-0 run late in regulation. The senior also finished with a season-high eight assists. Donavan Yap Jr. chipped in 13 points and Leo Colimerio had 11.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Fresno State jumped out to an early 8-2 advantage with Eduardo Andre imposing himself inside with six points. The Bulldogs led by as much as seven in the first three minutes before a 6-0 spurt from UCSB pulled the score back to 11-10.
The Bulldogs held the lead for the first 13 minutes until the Gauchos tied up the game at 20 through an 8-2 stretch. UCSB took their first lead of the game at 24-22 with 5:07 remaining in the half.
Trailing by two with 90 seconds left, the 'Dogs used a 6-0 run to regain their first half lead as they led 31-29 heading into the locker room.
The Bulldogs pushed their lead up to seven at 40-33 just three minutes into the second half following Donavan Yap Jr.'s third triple of the night, and a layup from Isaiah Hill off a fast break. That lead disappeared midway through the half though as the Gauchos went on an 8-0 run to go up 47-45.
Fresno State could only level the contest before an 8-1 stretch by UCSB occurred to open up their largest lead of the half. Layups from Isaiah Pope and Yap Jr. then cut the Bulldogs' deficit to three.
Fresno State went scoreless over the next four-plus minutes as the Gauchos went on a 10-0 run, with six points coming from Yohan Traore, to go up 67-54 with less than a minute on the clock. The 'Dogs did not go away though, scoring 11 unanswered in just over 40 seconds, with eight of those points coming from Hill.
NOTES
Fresno State shot a season-low 36.2 percent from the field.
The Bulldogs were just 22.6 percent from 3 while taking a season-high 31 attempts.
Fresno State outrebounded its fifth-straight opponent 39-38. Fourteen of those 39 came on the offensive end.
The senior also matched his season in assists with eight.
The 'Dogs had a season-low 11 turnovers and and held a 16-9 advantage in points off turnovers.
Isaiah Hill scored 19 points, his sixth consecutive game in double figures.
Donavan Yap Jr. had a season-high three made 3-pointers, going 3-of-6 on the night. The senior finished with 13 points.
Leo Colimerio was in double figures for the first time this season with 11 points on 4-of-8 shooting.
Enoch Boakye matched his career high in rebounds with 13 in the first half (in 10 minutes on the court).
UP NEXT
Fresno State will take to the road on Friday to face No. 19 BYU at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, Utah. Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. MT/6 p.m. PT and stream on Big 12 Now/ESPN+.