Buzzer-beater Booker send Long Beach St. past UCSB

Mar 2, 2018, 06:26 am

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. -- Deishuan Booker scored 20 points, including the winning layup as time expired, to give Long Beach State a dramatic 70-69 win over UC Santa Barbara on Thursday night.

Gabe Vincent made a pair of free throws with six seconds left to cap a 13-4 run and give UCSB a 69-68 lead. Booker took the inbound pass, weaved his way through the middle of the defense and kissed the ball high of the glass to elude the outstretched arm of a defender at the rim and it dropped as the horn sounded.

The 49ers (14-17, 8-7 Big West) led 64-56 with 4:03 left after Gabe Levin's layup. Vincent started the Gauchos run with a 3-ponter, added another later and Leland King II added a pair of free throws and a 3 during the late run.

Booker shot 8 of 11 from the field, Levin scored 20, Jordan Roberts added 10 and Temidayo Yussuf tied a career high with 15 rebounds.

Vincent led UC Santa Barbara (21-8, 10-5) with a career-high 28 points, Jalen Canty scored 17 and King scored 10 with 10 rebounds.