RIVERSIDE, Calif. (AP) -James Nunnally scored 19 points and Orlando Johnson added 17 as UC Santa Barbara rallied in the closing seconds to edge UC Riverside 57-53 Monday night.
Johnson scored five points in the final 22 seconds as the Gauchos (6-6, 1-1 Big West) rallied by scoring the game's final seven points.
After Rudy Meo hit a 3-pointer to put the Highlanders (7-7, 1-1) up 53-50 with 1:59 to play, James Nunnally hit a jumper to pull Santa Barbara to within one. Johnson then hit a 3 to give the Gauchos the lead and added two free throws with 10 seconds remaining.
Kyle Austin scored 20 to lead Riverside, and Meo had 15.
Santa Barbara scored only one point during the final 7:42 of the first half and went into halftime down 23-14. The Gauchos, though, opened the second half with 12-2 run and the score stayed close the rest of the way.
