UCSB coach Bob Williams  and his Gauchos  have plenty to be thankful for after this week’s 74-69 win over the visiting University of San Francisco Dons. Alex Harris’ ailing thumb worked well enough for 27 healthy points in Tuesday’s win. Chris Devine‘s intervention inside held USF workhorse Dior Lowhorn  to 21, while hitting 18 of his own. And six of eight freethrows dropped in the final minutes to seal the win.

Next Up for the Gauchos

UCSB hosts Montana State at 7 p.m. Saturday at the ThunderDome.

Another workingman’s performance by the UCSB defense kept the heat on San Francisco all night and forced just enough turnovers, 21, to compensate for quite a few of their own, 23, and wear down the Dons.

Lowhorn, a 6’7″, 230-pound transfer from Bobby Knight’s Texas Tech program, and averaging 25 a game, powered USF for the entire 40 minutes. UCSB’s answer was Devine, who went toe to toe with Lowhorn all the way. Devine’s 18 points included 5-7 from the freethrow line, many in the waning minutes as the Dons threatened.

Nedim Pajevic, UCSB’s 6’9″ Bosnian bulk, also nailed freethrows late, splashing four of five on his way to 10 points and 10 rebouonds.

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It was the Gauchos’ defense that defined them: in your face-aggressive, never relenting. It hurts to play that hard, nonstop, but Williams has assembled an eight- or nine-man rotation that believes, and is willing to pay the price. And as the Dons walked off the court at game’s end, they may just have been giving thanks themselves, that the defensive onslaught was over.

With the victory, UCSB improves to 4-1, while USF fell to 2-2.