SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. -- Luke Meikle made three free throws with 0.3 seconds left to give Cal Poly an 80-79 victory over UC Santa Barbara in a wild finish to a Big West Conference opener on Thursday night.

Jalen Canty split a pair of free throws and UC Santa Barbara led 77-75. Cal Poly's Donovan Fields answered with a layup to tie at 77 with 15 seconds remaining, but Max Heidegger hit a jumper and the Gauchos regained the lead, 79-77 with a second left.

Following a Cal Poly (5-10) timeout, Canty fouled Meikle, who sank all three shots from the line.

Fields led Cal Poly with 22 points on 10-of-18 shooting. Victor Joseph chipped in 16 points and Meikle had 13.

Canty had 21 points and 10 rebounds, and Heidegger finished with 18 points for UC Santa Barbara (12-3).

The Gauchos opened on a 29-8 run, but Cal Poly closed on a 28-11 surge to cut the halftime deficit to 40-36. It was tied at 52 with 14 minutes left, and neither team had more than a three-point lead the rest of the way.