ST. GEORGE, Utah (Interstat) — UC Santa Barbara built an early lead and withstood a late Utah Tech surge for a 68-65 win in a nonconference women’s basketball game Saturday at Burns Arena. The Gauchos led by as many as 11 in the third quarter before the Trailblazers’ 22-point fourth-quarter rally closed the gap. Jessica Grant led UC Santa Barbara with 16 points. Utah Tech’s Brie Crittendon posted a game-high 17 points and nine rebounds in the loss. UC Santa Barbara improved to 9-1 overall. Utah Tech fell to 4-5. Attendance was 537.

ST. GEORGE, Utah (Interstat) — In a game defined by runs and a frantic final minute, the UC Santa Barbara women’s basketball team held off a furious fourth-quarter rally by Utah Tech to escape Burns Arena with a 68-65 victory on Saturday. The Gauchos (9-1) appeared in control for much of the contest, building a 13-point lead late in the third quarter before the Trailblazers (4-5) stormed back, tying the game in the final period and having a chance to force overtime on the final possession. UC Santa Barbara established its early advantage with a strong defensive start and efficient first-quarter offense. The Gauchos opened the game on a 7-0 run, with Olivia Bradley of Adelaide, Australia, asserting herself inside. She blocked two shots in the opening minutes and scored six of her 11 points in the first quarter, helping UCSB to a 22-15 lead after one. The Gauchos maintained their edge through the second and third quarters, largely on the strength of their work on the offensive glass and timely three-point shooting. They finished with 13 offensive rebounds, leading to 13 second-chance points, and weathered Utah Tech’s attempts to close the gap. Jessica Grant, a guard from San Marcos, California, provided a critical scoring punch off the bench, hitting four three-pointers on her way to a team-high 16 points. Utah Tech, however, refused to fade, mounting its comeback behind the relentless play of Brie Crittendon. The guard from Union, Kentucky, scored 17 points and grabbed nine rebounds, spearheading the Trailblazers’ final push. Trailing 51-43 early in the fourth, Utah Tech unleashed a 17-6 run, capped by a Maddie Warren three-pointer with 6 minutes remaining that gave the Trailblazers their first lead since the opening basket at 54-53. The game then swung back and forth in a tense final six minutes. Grant answered with a three-pointer for UCSB, and after Crittendon put Utah Tech back ahead, Zoe Borter of Beaverton, Oregon, connected from deep to tie the game at 61-61 with 2:46 left. Crittendon and UCSB’s Madison Naro then traded free throws, leaving the Gauchos clinging to a 63-61 lead with 10 seconds remaining. The most critical sequence unfolded in the game’s final seconds. After a Utah Tech timeout, the Trailblazers inbounded the ball to Paige Cofer, who drove and scored a layup with one second on the clock, seemingly tying the game at 65-65. However, officials reviewed the play and determined the basket was released after the shot clock had expired, waving it off and preserving the Gauchos’ two-point lead. UC Santa Barbara’s Zoe Shaw of Melbourne, Australia, was then fouled and made one of two free throws with 0.7 seconds left for the final margin. Utah Tech’s desperation heave from beyond half-court was off target. While the Gauchos shot just 35.3% from the field and 28.6% from three-point range, their defense and rebounding proved decisive. They forced 11 Utah Tech turnovers and limited the Trailblazers to 41.8% shooting. Bradley added six rebounds, four assists and three blocks to her 11 points, while Borter finished with 13 points and six rebounds. Shaw also scored 13 for UCSB. For Utah Tech, Cofer of Eagle, Idaho, posted 13 points and seven rebounds, and Warren of Lehi, Utah, added nine points, five rebounds and three assists. Rose Boisnel of Caen, France, contributed 10 points and five rebounds off the bench. The win extends UC Santa Barbara’s winning streak to three games as they continue a strong non-conference campaign. Utah Tech, despite the loss, showed resilience in battling back against a team that entered as a significant favorite according to predictive metrics. Both teams now look ahead to their final games before the holiday break.

ST. GEORGE, Utah (Interstat) — A surging UC Santa Barbara women’s basketball team, boasting one of the nation’s best early records, will put its eight-game winning streak on the line Saturday when it visits Utah Tech at Burns Arena. The Gauchos (8-1) have been dominant since a season-opening loss at UCLA, winning their last eight by an average margin of 18.6 points. Their most recent victory was a 67-47 road win at Cal State Bakersfield last Saturday, powered by a 25-point performance from guard Zoe Borter. Borter, the team’s offensive catalyst, enters the contest in stellar form. Over her last five games, the guard is averaging 19.0 points per contest, including a 22-point effort in a win at San Jose State and 19 points against California Baptist. Her versatility has been key for a balanced UCSB attack. Utah Tech (4-4), meanwhile, looks to regain momentum after back-to-back home losses to McNeese State (67-52) and New Mexico State (58-55). The Trailblazers have shown flashes, with a 71-63 win over Portland State and an 81-70 victory against Westminster. The Trailblazers will lean on guard Kaylee Borden, who has proven capable of explosive scoring. Borden dropped 25 points in the win over Westminster and 22 in the narrow loss to New Mexico State. Her season-high 21-point, 11-rebound double-double at Weber State demonstrates her all-around capability. This nonconference matchup presents a stark contrast in trajectories. UCSB’s defense has been stifling, holding six of its nine opponents under 60 points. Utah Tech’s challenge will be solving that defense while containing Borter on the perimeter. For the Gauchos, this game is a final tune-up before returning home to host Eastern Washington on Dec. 18. Utah Tech concludes a three-game homestand and will host Chicago State on Dec. 17. Tipoff is set for Saturday afternoon in St. George.