Heidegger scores 26, UC Santa Barbara holds off CSUN

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. -- Max Heidegger scored a season-high 26 points with four 3-pointers and 8 of 9 free throws and UC Santa Barbara defeated CSU Northridge 70-64 on Wednesday night.

Amadou Sow added 16 points and nine rebounds for the Gauchos (17-5, 6-2 Big West), who shot 46 percent and made 20 of 26 free throws.

Lamine Diane, ninth nationally at 24.1 points per game coming in, scored 28 points for the Matadors (10-14, 4-4). The redshirt freshman from Dakar, Senegal, via Findlay Prep in the Las Vegas area added five rebounds. He is eighth nationally in rebounding at 11.0 rpg. The Matadors made only 1 of 21 from 3-point distance.

The Gauchos took the lead for good at 36-35 in the middle of a 9-0 run early in the second half. The Matadors drew within two points at 58-56 but Heidegger made one of two free throws and later added a 3-pointer to put UCSB back up by six at 64-58 inside of 2 1/2 minutes. CSUN missed two 3-pointers and had two turnovers and UCSB added six free throws in the closing minutes.

A 3-point play by Gomez gave the Matadors a 20-10 lead with 12:42 left in the first half before UCSB tied it at 28 with 1:24 left. CSUN added a free throw for a 29-28 halftime lead.

UCSB remains 1 1/2 games behind UC Irvine (8-1) in the Big West standings.