PORTLAND, Ore. (Dec. 16, 2022) – UC Santa Barbara Men's Basketball made the trip up North as they prepare to take on the Portland State University Vikings on the bad guys' home court in Portland, Oregon. These two teams have played each other three times before, with the Gauchos winning all three games. Most recently, UC Santa Barbara defeated the Vikings in The Thunderdome, securing the win with a score of 81-70.
LAST TIME OUT
The Gauchos were in The Thunderdome for the last time until Big West play begins as they took on the San Diego Christian Hawks. UC Santa Barbara started this game going on a 9-0 run, which they didn't let up from there. The contest ended in favor of the Gauchos as they won 81-68.
Miles Norris had the most points in this game. The senior from San Diego ended the night with 15 points in just 14 minutes of play. Also earning double-digits in this one was Cole Anderson and Calvin Wishart, who had 11 and 10 points, respectively. Wishart also grabbed four steals along the way.
SCOUTING THE VIKINGS
Portland State comes into this contest on a two-game losing streak as they were on the road against Big West foe Cal Poly as well as Santa Clara. The Mustangs had a dominant 72-49 win over the Vikings while Santa Clara squeeze out a three-point victory. However, Portland State grabbed two wins against Oregon State this season while also defeating Air Force.
The Vikings have one of the strongest benches in the country. They are ninth in the NCAA and No. 1 in the Big Sky when it comes to the number of points scored by players coming off the bench, which averages 35 points per game. Portland State also ranks in the Top 20 in the nation when it comes to fast-break points (15th) and turnovers forced per game (19th).
Cameron Parker is a staple of this team. The Portland native has returned home for his senior season after playing at Sacred Heart and Montana, making an impact as one of the best free-throw shooters in the country, making 57 of 66, while also distributing the ball on offense, ranking 30th in the NCAA in assists per game, averaging 5.4. He is also second on the team in points this season, racking up 145 through 10 games played with a 53 percent clip.
The Gauchos will need to watch out for junior forward Hunter Woods. The Pasadena, California native is one of the stealthiest players in the NCAA, ranking No. 1 in the Big Sky and 38th in the NCAA when it comes to steals as he currently has 38 this season. Not only that, but he knows how to crash the boards as he leads the team in rebounds with 59, grabbing 43 of those on defense.
Jorell Saterfield is the offensive powerhouse for the Vikings. The senior guard from Chicago leads the team in points with 170 as he averages 15.45 per game.
The Vikings are led by Head Coach Jase Coburn, who is in his second season at the helm of the program. Prior to that, Coburn served as the associate head coach for Portland State for three seasons and an assistant coach from 2013 to 2018.
WHEREABOUTS
The Gauchos will hit the court in Portland on Saturday, Dec. 17, with tipoff at 7 p.m. For those who can't attend in person, a live stream will be available through ESPN+ with live stats available through Portland State's website.
