Isla Vista, Calif. – The Pepperdine women’s basketball team dropped its second consecutive close game when it was narrowly defeated by UC Santa Barbara Monday night (65-63) in an emotionally charged game at the Thunderdome, in Isla Vista, Calif.

 

A physical first half ended with the Gauchos (4-5) leading by two points (35-33). Miranda Ayim (London, Ontario, Canada) posted 15 points for the Waves (5-4), shooting 6-9 from the floor and 3-3 on free-throws at the end of the half. Santa Barbara scored 10-11 on free-throws recording a 90.9% average and taking advantages of fouls called against Pepperdine.

 

A technical foul called against Santa Barbara’s Chisa Ononiwu early in the second half was met with hostile jeers from the hometown crowd and the hired Santa Claus could barely be heard singing Christmas songs during the media time-out that followed the call. Pepperdine appeared undeterred by the noise from the stands as the team scored 17 points in the first five minutes of the second half.

 

With 1:20 left in the game, Pepperdine was leading 63-58 and struggling not to foul as both teams were now in bonus. Ononiwu scored two-points after a foul was called on Daphanie Kennedy (Oakland, Calif. / Kearny HS), followed by a two-point shot on a Pepperdine turnover to narrow the lead to one-point. A foul by Teena Wickett (Vallejo, Calif. / Castlemont HS) gave the Gauchos two free-throws. After executing one shot and missing the other, the score was tied with 19 seconds left. A Wave time-out was followed by a Gaucho possession. Ononiwu put the ball in the net to give Santa Barbara a two-point lead with four seconds left. The buzzer sounded on a missed jumper by Kennedy.

 

Turnovers hampered the Waves as they gave up the ball 27 times to the Gauchos 17. Pepperdine out-shot Santa Barbara 44.8% to 36.5% and led in three-pointers 30.8% to 17.6%. The Gaucho’s free-throw percentage was 80% to the Waves 77.8%.

 

Ayim tied her season-high with 21-points and shot 8-11 on the floor and 5-5 on free-throws while registering seven rebounds. Kennedy scored 17-points and had seven rebounds.

 

The Waves take to the road on the Dec. 26 for a ten-day trip with games against Coppin State (Dec. 28), George Washington (Dec. 30), Rutgers (Jan. 2) and Colorado (Jan. 4).