Nov. 29, 2008
World Vision Invitational Central | Final Stats | Postgame Notes | 
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NORMAL, Ill. -
A 10-minute scoring drought by Nicholls allowed UC-Santa Barbara (3-3) to rack up 27 second-half points to secure a 57-38 victory over the Colonels (1-3) Saturday night at the World Vision Invitational on Doug Collins Court at Redbird Arena.
UCSB recorded its win via a balanced scoring attack, as all 11 of its dressed players scored at least one point in the game. The Gauchos were led by James Powell, who knocked in 12 points on 4-of-12 shooting from the field.
Nicholls recorded just three field goals in the second half and its 15 points scored in the period tied for the second-fewest by a team in the second half of a game in Redbird Arena history. The Colonels' 12 made field goals in the game also tied the fewest by a team in Redbird Arena history.
The game featured a notable milestone for Nicholls forward Ryan Bathie, as his eight points scored vaulted him past the 1,000 career points scored plateau. Bathie became the 21st member of the Colonels' 1,000 career points scored club.
While both teams were fairly evenly-matched throughout much of the first half, UC-Santa Barbara gained an early advantage after it opened the game on a 9-2 run. Nicholls countered with a 14-7 run to even the score at 16-16 at the 9:01 mark in the first half.
The Gauchos began to pull away late in the first half following the Colonels' run, as they took a seven-point advantage (23-16) off a layup and a three-pointer by D.J. Posley. A three-pointer by James Powell with less than two minutes left in the half gave UCSB an eight-point lead, and following a three-pointer by the Colonels' Chris Iles, Jesse Byrd's jumper in the paint closed out the half with the Gauchos leading, 30-23.
UC-Santa Barbara continued to hold off the Colonels in the second half. A traditional three-point play by Chris Devine midway through the period pushed the Gauchos' lead to 14 points (43-29), as he neared a double-double with eight points and seven rebounds midway through the second half.
UCSB fueled its advantage late in the second half thanks in part to a particularly long scoring drought by Nicholls. The Colonels went nearly 10 minutes without scoring a field goal, while the Gauchos expanded their lead from seven points (36-29) to 18 points (49-31) before the Colonels were able to find the bottom of the net again.
Sunday will mark the final day of the 2008 World Vision Invitational, hosted by Illinois State on Doug Collins Court at Redbird Arena. Nicholls will face Winston-Salem State at 1 p.m. Sunday, while UC-Santa Barbara will conclude tournament action with a 3:35 p.m. matchup against tournament host Illinois State.
