Overview:
Mitchell's 25 points and UCSB's 26-for-33 foul shooting lead to fourth-straight basketball triumph
PORTLAND, Ore. — UC Santa Barbara’s Ajay Mitchell was at his best again with a basketball game on the line.
But Saturday’s 85-73 victory at Portland State required that all of the Gauchos step up at the line.
They overcame a season-long weakness by making 26-of-33 free throws during a game in which 51 fouls were called.
“I’ve never had a team fouled more than in this game … and vice versa,” UCSB coach Joe Pasternack said. “This could be an NCAA record.”
Mitchell, whose overtime heroics helped the Gauchos pull out a win at Pepperdine last Saturday, scored 19 of his game-high 25 points during this Saturday’s second half. The sophomore point guard made 10-of-17 field goals, 5-of-7 free throws, grabbed seven rebounds and handed out five assists.
“Ajay really took over the game at the end — in the second half, really,” Pasternack said. “He was terrific.
“But this was a total team effort. I was really proud of our team’s toughness. It’s really hard to play a team like this but I felt we really defended and rebounded.”
UCSB (8-2) won its fourth straight game by overcoming a physical Portland State team. The Vikings (5-7) averaged 23.3 fouls per game to rank second in the nation. The Gauchos were fouled 26 times on Saturday and made 78.8% of their foul shots. They had made just 66.1% coming into the contest.
“That was the difference in the game,” Pasternack said. “If we don’t hit those free throws, we do not win.”
Portland State, which had been making 74.7% of its free throws, converted just 68.8% on Saturday (22-for-32).
UCSB’s Calvin Wishart went 8-for-8 at the line to finish with 13 points. Miles Norris missed his first two free throws but then locked in to make his last eight. He finished with a double-double of 12 points and 10 rebounds.
“This game was about toughness,” Pasternack said. “I was really proud of our guys’ toughness. We scheduled more away games this year than at any point in the last six years and it was to prepare us for conference.
“It’s not easy to win on the road in college basketball, I don’t care who you’re playing. I’m really proud of our guys’ effort, winning on the road like this against a team that beat a Pac-12 team (Oregon State twice).”
The Gauchos out-shot the Vikings 50.9% to 42.9% and out-rebounded them 42-29.
Foul trouble forced Pasternack to get creative with his lineup. Josh Pierre-Louis fouled out and three others including starting center Andre Kelly had four fouls with nearly six minutes still left in the game. Kelly scored nine of his 11 points in the first half.
“We had to go with four guards with Miles at the five for a big part of the second half because of Andre’s foul trouble,” Pasternack said.
Kelly’s three-point play helped the Gauchos jump out to an 11-2 lead.
They gave it all back, however, with four consecutive turnovers. The Vikings scored each time to draw to within 11-10. They caught UCSB at 13-all two minutes later on a runner by Keshaun Saunders.
Portland State scored on 10 of 11 possessions during one stretch but never overtook the Gauchos. A three-pointer by Cole Anderson kept UCSB’s head above water at 22-19.
Cameron Parker drew three fouls on the Gauchos in a span of just over three minutes and made all six free throws, tying the game at 27-27. He finished with 19 points, scoring 10 of them from the foul line.
Ajare Sanni’s corner three, however, ignited a 12-3 run for UCSB in the final three-plus minutes of the first half. The Gauchos led 39-30 at halftime.
Nine turnovers kept them from taking an even bigger lead. They had nine more in the second half against Portland State’s pressure defense.
Mitchell didn’t wait to take control of the second half, however. He scored UCSB’s first three baskets of the period to increase its lead to 12 points, 47-35.
After a three by Wishart, Mitchell scored a pair of runners and assisted layups by both Koat Keat Tong and Pierre-Louis to keep the Gauchos ahead.
“They kept switching their five man onto him,” Pasternack said. “We just kept putting him into a ball screen to get their five man on him, and Ajay kept taking it at him.
“It was a different kind of offense, but it turned out great.”
The Vikings got as close as 74-68 with 2:37 to go on a jumper by Jorell Saterfield, their leading scorer with 23 points.
But Mitchell helped UCSB finish strong with a jumper, three free throws, and an assist on Kelly’s layup.
The Gauchos will travel to Phoenix on Wednesday to play Appalachian State in a 3 p.m. game at the Footprint Center in the Jerry Colangelo Hall of Fame Classic. Other games will pit Saint Mary’s against Wyoming and USC against Colorado State.
“It’ll be great to play in a neutral arena, kind of like a conference tournament, and in an NBA arena,” Pasternack said. “I think the guys will like that.
“And Appalachian State is a really good mid-major and will be another great challenge before Christmas and conference.”
The game will be UCSB’s final tune-up before opening Big West Conference play at Cal State Fullerton in an ESPN2 game on Dec. 29 at 6 p.m. The Gauchos will then play host to UC San Diego on New Year’s Eve at 4 p.m.