For the fourth consecutive game the Oaks trailed by a sizeable amount in the second half. Menlo came up short in losses to CSU Stanislaus last weekend and on Friday night in a heartbreaking 69-67 loss to George Fox in the opening round of the tournament, but turned a second-half deficit into a victory on successive days.

Trailing 31-30 at halftime and by as many as nine points early in the second half, the Oaks appeared as if they might not have the steam to get back into the game. A 10-3 spurt helped Menlo pull within 44-42 just over six minutes into the half, but the Banana Slugs wouldn't let the Oaks draw even. Tim Kees started the surge with a jumper before fellow guards Dejon Grant and Julian Harris each converted layups. Tyler Rajnus scored on a putback and Grant added a pair of free throws to pull the Oaks within two points.

UC Santa Cruz stretched its advantage to 61-54 on a Neil Brennen layup with two minutes, 41 seconds left in regulation. Facing with the daunting task of turning a three-possession deficit around in the waning minutes, Menlo took over. Drew Davis canned a 3-pointer from a Harris assist on the Oaks ensuing possession and Rajnus scored on another putback with just under two minutes to go to trim the Banana Slugs lead to 61-59.

Brennen made two free throws with 44 seconds on the clock to stretch UC Santa Cruz' lead to 63-59, but Davis sunk a 3-pointer 13 seconds later. When Darrin Lew split a pair of free throws with 24 seconds remaining, Menlo trailed by only two points with possession. For the second time in three games, forward Nick McCullar made a huge jumper in the paint in the final seconds, this time tying the score at 64 with seven to play. Lew missed a layup and the game went into overtime.

In the extra period, the Oaks never trailed. Andrew Young scored a three-point play in the opening minute for the team's first lead since the opening five minutes of the game and Menlo kept the Slugs at arm's length from there. Harris added a layup to push the Oaks advantage to five points, then another big basket to extend it back to four points with two minutes left on the clock. McCullar scored inside to keep it a two possession game before Kees, Harris, and Ryan Dung converted free throws to ice the game in the final minute.

Kees - Menlo's lone senior - stepped up for the Oaks, leading everyone on the floor with 17 points and 10 rebounds. All five starters hit double figures in the scoring column as McCullar tallied 14 points; Harris had 12, and Davis and Young 10 apiece. Young also grabbed eight rebounds while Grant totaled six assists.

Lew and Alex Abarca each scored 12 points for UC Santa Cruz while Eric Norton and Ryan Matsuoka netted 10 each. The Banana Slugs made 10-of-19 3-point attempts in regulation before misfiring on all three tries in overtime.