SANTA BARBARA (AP) – Alex Harris scored 20 of his 29 points in the second half and James Powell added 15 to lead UC Santa Barbara to a 76-61 win over Montana State on Saturday night.
The Gauchos (5-1) led 55-53 with 8:58 to play, but outscored the Bobcats (2-3) 21-8 the rest of the way to win their third straight. Powell started the game-ending run with a 3-pointer and finished with 13 points in the second half.
Harris scored Santa Barbara’s first 14 points of the second half, including eight from the free throw line, to help the Gauchos break a 30-30 halftime tie.
Divaldo Mbunga had 17 ponts and nine rebounds for the Bobcats and he gave Montana State its final lead of the game, 29-27, on a lay-up with 42 second to play in the first half. Phil Friesen scored 16 for the Bobcats.
UC Santa Barbara was playing the game without its second leading scorer, Chris Devine, who was attending the funeral of a close friend in his native Alaska.