UC Santa Barbara figured the short shot would be a long shot to make against the University of Hawai’i’s towering, block-happy women’s basketball team.
But the Gauchos struggled most to make the long shot — missing 31 of a school-record 41 attempts from three-point distance — in Saturday’s 58-52 defeat at the Thunderdome.
“When we went to Hawai’i, we were going to the basket and getting blocked left and right,” UCSB coach Renee Jimenez said, referring to the Rainbow Wahine’s eight blocked shots in their 67-50 victory on January 17.
“We really tried to focus on driving and kicking, and we got wide-open shots, although I don’t think we knew that we were going to take 40.
“We thought we’d make some which would open up lanes and we’d get good stuff to the rim.”
But the Gauchos, who were ranked second nationally on January 15 with a three-point accuracy of 39.5%, have shot just 27.2% in the 12 games since. Their season percentage plummeted to .335 with Saturday’s performance.
“We spend so much time in the gym and they put so much work into their shooting, they have to believe it’s going in,” Jimenez said. “I told them, ‘Sometimes it feels like you’re taking it to appease us, you have to take it and believe that shot is going in.
“That was what Hawai’i was going to give us.”
The Rainbow Wahine (16-10, 10-6 Big West Conference) have won 10 of their last 11 league games after starting conference with five straight defeats. They moved past UCSB (18-8, 10-7) into fifth place in the league standings with Saturday’s result.
Imani Perez, a 6-foot-4 senior, led Hawai’i with 14 points. She came into the contest ranked 32 nationally with an average of 1.75 blocks per game — the Rainbow Warriors are sixth as a team with 6.1 per game — but UCSB gave her no opportunities on Saturday.
The Gauchos missed nine of their first 10 field-goal attempts — all from three-point range — as well as their first two free throws to fall behind 10-3.
Skylar Burke came off the bench to make the lone three. She added two more and Zoe Shaw hit another to see-saw the Gauchos ahead 12-10.
Burke led UCSB with 16 points. She also had six rebounds and two steals.
“She doesn’t love coming off the bench, but she’s Sky,” Jimenez said of her senior guard. “She’s going to do what we need from her to win games.
“Honestly, it’s just to keep Sky out of foul trouble. We did try to start her … and she picked up quick fouls, and then we don’t have that spark.
“And she and Chauncey (Andersen) bring great energy when they come in.”
But UCSB’s other three guards combined to make just 2-of-25 shots and 2-of-19 three pointers.
“We’re just trying to find that rhythm that we had in November and December,” Jimenez said.
The Gauchos needed Maddie Naro to bank in a long three and Andersen to add another to trim the Rainbow Wahine’s lead to 27-25 by halftime.
Andersen finished with 10 points while Borter scored 12.
The third quarter was a dreadful exhibition of shooting by both teams. UCSB and Hawai’i each made just 3-of-17 shots.
UCSB inched a point closer, pulling within 36-35, only because Borter made the only three of the period. She finished with 12 points and Andersen added 10.
Borter tied the game by converting 1-of-2 free throws to start the fourth quarter.
But the Gauchos fell quickly behind while making only 1-of-6 field-goal attempts — Andersen’s three — during the first five minutes of the period.
Saniyah Neverson, a senior transfer from Northern Arizona, drove to one basket and then sank another from three-point range to key a 14-3 run that put the Rainbow Wahine ahead 50-39 with 5:35 to go.
She finished with a double-double of 13 points and 12 rebounds.
“She single-handedly won that game in the fourth quarter,” Jimenez said. “She’s a good player. They were really lucky to get her.”
Hawai’i shot just 37% overall and was forced into 15 turnovers.
“This was a great defensive game for us,” Jimenez said. “We’ve been hit-and-miss defensively the last few weeks.”
Borter made a three-pointer and two free throws during a 9-4 run that reduced the Gauchos’ deficit to 54-48 with 27.9 seconds remaining. They got no closer, however.
UCSB will return to action on Thursday with a 6 p.m. game against UC Riverside.