SANTA BARBARA, Calif. — Eastern Washington women's basketball faced UC Santa Barbara on Thursday night in the first game of its two-game California road trip. Eastern fell to UCSB 89-63 after the Gauchos took control in the second quarter. The loss snaps EWU's three-game winning streak and their record now sits at 6-5. UCSB improves to 10-1 on the year.
"We came out strong in the first quarter but could not put anything together in the second and lost to a really good UCSB team," head coach Joddie Gleason said. "They exploited us 1v1 on their attacks to the basket, especially [Zoe] Borter and [Olivia] Bradley."
The Eagles led after the first quarter, but the Gauchos surged ahead in the second. They shot 60 percent and scored 30 points, a 21-point advantage over Eastern.
The Gauchos controlled the paint, securing 50 rebounds and scoring 42 points. For the game, UCSB had a 47-shooting percentage, while EWU was held to a 30.9 mark.
Kourtney Grossman led Eastern in scoring with 17 rebounds and Ella Gallatin was close with 16. Grossman also tallied 12 rebounds to lead the team.
"[UCSB] did a nice job of keeping us off the glass, allowing just 10 offensive rebounds on 47 missed shots," Gleason added. "We will need to have a really short memory and get ready for CSU Bakersfield on Saturday."
Eastern was not phased as the visitor early, racing out to an 11-3 lead. Four players scored for the Eagles, with Kourtney Grossman leading with 5 points. The Gauchos responded with a 10-4 stretch to pull within two at 15-13 and 3:34 remaining in the quarter. After the teams tied at 15, EWU got back in front with a 9-4 stretch. The Eagles led 24-22 at the end of the first quarter shooting 52.6 percent.
UCSB tied the score early in the second quarter and took the lead at 7:41. Following an Eagle basket, the Gauchos put together a 12-2 stretch to go up 36-30 and 5:51 on the clock. The run would develop into a 17-0 stretch as USCB blew the game open to lead 47-30 with 2:39 remaining. At the half, EWU tailed 52-33, shooting 23.5 percent in the quarter.
The teams were even in the third quarter, scoring 18 points each. The Eagles shot 23.5 percent in the quarter. Grossman scored 10 points, with six coming at the free throw line. UCSB finished the quarter with a 35.7 shooting percentage. After three quarters, Eastern trailed 70-51.
In the fourth quarter, EWU was held to 20 percent shooting, scoring 12 points. The Gauchos extended their lead in the quarter, scoring 19 points on 31.3 shooting. With another effective quarter, UCSB went on to win the game 89-63.
Eag Notes
- Kourtney Grossman recorded her 5th double-double of the season. It was her 10th double-digit scoring game and 6th double figures rebounding game.
- Ella Gallatin scored in double figures for the 7th time this season and now has 23 career games in double-digits.
- Both teams had under 10 turnovers, with Eastern committing only 6 and UCSB having 8.
- The teams combined for 42 fouls and there were 51 free throw attempts in the game.
- Elyn Bowers set a career-best with 6 assists. The Eagles finished with 11 assists in the game.
- The Gauchos' Zoe Borter scored a game-high 24 points and Olivia Bradley had 20, adding a game-high 13 rebounds.
Up Next
Eastern Washington stays in California and plays CSU Bakersfield on Saturday (Dec. 20), with tip off at 2 p.m.
Women's basketball season tickets are now on sale! Claim your seats at Reese Court for the 2025-26 season by visiting goeags.com/tickets to purchase online.
Join the Eagle Athletic Fund for as low as $50 per year! Support Eagle student-athletes on and off the field while enjoying exclusive EAF perks such as season ticket and tailgating priority, invitations to special events, exclusive access and more. Visit goeags.com/eaf for more information.
ABOUT EASTERN WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS
Eastern Washington University Athletics sponsors 14 intercollegiate sports, six for men and eight for women, both as learning opportunities for its most athletically talented students and as an enhancement to student and community life. Eastern is affiliated with Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and is a member of the Big Sky Conference, an association of 10 regional schools with comparable enrollments and academic goals.
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