HENDERSON, Nev. — In a thrilling encounter on Thursday night, Stephan D. Swenson spearheaded UC Santa Barbara to a 78-72 triumph over Cal State Northridge during a Big West Conference Tournament quarterfinal matchup.
The victory secures the fifth-seeded Gauchos, now with a season record of 21-12, a spot in the semifinals where they are set to face the tournament’s top seed, UC San Diego, on Friday. In the other matchup, the second-seeded UC Irvine will take on the seventh-seeded Cal Poly, as both teams vie for a spot in the finals.
Swenson not only led the scoring charge with 25 points but also contributed defensively with four steals. Cole Anderson supplemented the effort by adding 16 points and matching Swenson’s four steals. Jason Fontenet II chipped in with 11 points, rounding out a robust performance for the Gauchos.
For the fourth-seeded Matadors, who ended their season with a 22-10 record, Keonte Jones shined brightly, achieving a double-double with 19 points and 11 rebounds, accompanied by two steals. Mahmoud Fofana added valuable support by scoring 17 points and pulling down eight rebounds, while Scotty Washington contributed with 14 points and seven rebounds.
UC Santa Barbara established their lead early on, with Swenson scoring 11 points in the first half, allowing the Gauchos to head into halftime with a 35-28 advantage. A critical 7-0 run in the closing stages expanded their lead to 65-53, which proved too much for the Matadors to overcome.
