ST. GEORGE, Utah — Some deep thinking helped UC Santa Barbara pull out another women’s basketball victory on Saturday.
The Gauchos used consecutive timeouts to set up Jessica Grant for a pair of late three-pointers, and Zoe Borter hit another, as they defeated Utah Tech 68-65 for their eighth-straight victory.
Their 9-1 record is their best 10-game start in program history.
UCSB, which ranks fifth nationally in three-point shooting with both its 10.4 makes per game and its 41% accuracy, needed that trio of fourth-quarter threes to finish 10-for-35 on Saturday.
“We took 35 threes tonight, which is probably the most we’ve taken all year,” UCSB coach Renee Jimenez said. “There’s probably five-to-seven more makes that we could’ve gotten, but I’m really proud of this group for grinding out a road win in front of great fans and a really tough team.”
The previous high was 33 attempts when the Gauchos made a season-high 16 threes to beat Cal Baptist on November 28.
Utah Tech (4-5), a Western Athletic Conference school, made a trio of threes in just 54 seconds to trim UCSB’s 55-45 lead to just 58-54 with 5:53 to go.
But Grant, who had just made a three on an inbounds play, hit another after Jimenez called her number during another timeout.
Grant, who ranks ninth nationally with a three-point percentage of .500, finished with a team-high 16 points while making 4-of-10 from three.
“This group is extremely unselfish — they had 14 assists on 24 makes tonight,” Jimenez said. “They’re able to find each other.
“They know Jess is out there for a specific job.
“Anytime you have five players out there that are lethal from three, you’re bound to make some big ones.”
The Trailblazers made one last surge after Grant’s second three from the corner put UCSB ahead 61-54.
Brie Crittendon scored back-to-back runners and Paige Cofer converted a three-point play to tie the game at 61-all with 3:14 to go. Crittendon led all scorers with 17 points.
But Zoe Borter, who ranks 21st nationally with a three-point percentage of .487, beat the shot clock with a long three to put the Gauchos back on top, 64-61, with 2:46 left. She finished with 13 points on just 4-of-17 shooting.
“Zoe Borter was pretty cold until that last big three she hit,” Jimenez said. “We hate to say we live and die by it, but we don’t tell them to stop shooting.”
The Gauchos stayed ahead for good on two free throws by Zoe Shaw and one apiece by Olivia Bradley and Maddie Naro during the final 54 seconds.
Shaw, who ranks 48th nationally with a three-point percentage of .439, made 3-of-7 threes and finished with 13 points. Bradley added 11 points.
Bradley, Borter, Naro and Julia Puente-Valverde grabbed six rebounds each to help UCSB beat Utah Tech on the backboards, 40-36.
Bradley also had three blocks. She and Naro led the Gauchos with four assists apiece.
“This was our fifth game on the road in a row, so we’ll be happy to get back home and play in front of our fans,” Jimenez said.
UCSB will look to improve its record start when it returns to the Thunderdome on Thursday to play Eastern Washington in a 6 p.m. game.
“A milestone like this doesn’t happen by accident,” Jimenez said. “It’s a credit to the players’ commitment to our culture, their belief in one another, and the respect of the standard that has been built here over time.
“This program has a long, storied tradition of success in women’s basketball, and our team understands they’re not just playing for this season, but for players who came before them and wore the Gaucho uniform.
“They’re honoring that legacy while writing their own chapter, and that’s been so special to watch.”