SANTA CRUZ -

Believe it or not, UCSC and Bethany Bible College were tied at one stage of the first half of their men's basketball game Wednesday night, 26-26. And believe one more thing. The game didn't stay close for long.

A final score of 116-78 was not that close. UCSC accomplished the landslide by burying Bethany in the latter stages of the first half, 21-1, and then going on a 65-45 tear in the second half. As a result, Coach Mark Henry's Banana Slugs now are 4-0 in the Bay Area Intercollegiate Athletic Conference and 4-14 overall. 

Highlights? Check out a few: 

*-UCSC forced Bethany into 31 turnovers, more than any of the Banana Slugs' opponents had committed in previous games.

*-The Banana Slugs hit 10-for-16 from three-point range, with John Griffin dropping the bombs on target five times in seven attempts.

Griffin had 27 total points, but didn't stop there, since he also contributed five assists.

*-UCSC had a season-high 31 assists; Bruno Baldini, hitting 3-for-3 from three-point range, had 23 points for the Banana Slugs, who also  had Jason Brandwene (12) and Sandro Meallet (15) in double figures. Bethany countered with Matt Stewart (16), Dale Irwin (22) and Tom Moriarty (16), but the Bruins were outmanned.

"We tired them out," Henry said. "We kept lots and lots of pressure on them and they weren't able to cope with it but they put up a valiant effort there for a while."

Once UCSC took a 47-27 lead late in the first half, the game was over. "We won't have much time to glory in this one," Henry said. "We play Sacramento State with its 12 scholarship players Friday led by 6-foot-8 Cassius Killybrew."