The Redhawks scored the first eight points of the game, jumpstarted by a pair of layups by Kacie Sowell (Ventura, Calif.) and led by as many as 15, 20-5, by the 13:36 mark on a made three-pointer by Sylvia Shephard (Alta Loma, Calif.).
Shephard sunk a pair of free throws and Sowell drove in a layup to put SU ahead by as many as 19, 24-5, at 12:56. They would lead by 14 or more until the 6:24 mark of the first half and would lead by double digits until Melissa Zornig closed the gap to eight, 36-28, at 4:29.
On 11-2 run over the next four minutes, Seattle U closed the half with a 15-point lead, 49-34.
Destini Mason opened the second half with a jumper for UCSB and the Gauchos closed the gap to nine two different times over the next three minutes.
Kristine Brance but UCSB within nine again with just under 14 minutes remaining and Zorning and Nicole Nesbit drew the Gauchos within six, 58-52, at 12:48.
After nearly three scoreless minutes for either team, Zorning hit back-to-back baskets to close their deficit to just two, 58-56, and they tied the game at 9:15 as Zorning downed a third straight shot.
Seattle U would regain the lead one more time on a jumper by Renee Dillard-Brown (Seattle, Wash.), 68-67, at 4:42, but Mi’Chael Wright put the Gauchos ahead for good, 69-68, with 4:25 remaining.
UCSB would go on a 5-0 run over the next two minutes and despite Ashley Ward (Irvine, Calif.) and Shephard going 2-for-2 from the line to close the game, the Gauchos would come away with the 78-75 win.
As a team, Seattle U shot 48.3 percent from the field, but just 28.6 percent in the second half. Rebounds tied at 36, SU led in assists, 22-18, but also in turnovers, 16-12.
Nesbit led the Gauchos and all players with 24 points, while Sowell led the Redhawks with 23. Shephard (16 pts) and Ward (11 pts) also scored in double digits for Seattle U. Shephard is now just 17 points away from becoming the 14th player in program history to score 1000 career points.
Seattle U remains away from home to open their conference schedule at Chicago State on Jan. 2 and Kansas City on Jan. 4 before returning home to host New Mexico State on Jan. 9 in their Western Athletic Conference home opener.