PHOENIX, Ariz. (Dec. 21, 2022) – It's a quick turnaround for UC Santa Barbara Men's Basketball as they compete in the Jerry Colangelo Classic here in Phoenix. During this tournament, the Gauchos will take on the Mountaineers of Appalachian State for UC Santa Barbara's final non-conference game of the regular season.
The Gauchos and the Mountaineers only played each other once in the history of these programs and that was back in 1941 at the NAIA Nationals. UC Santa Barbara won during that one contest, securing the 36-29 win.
LAST TIME OUT
The Gauchos went North as they took on the Portland State Vikings in a non-conference road game. The Vikings won twice this season against the Pac-12's Oregon State, so the Gauchos knew this would be a tough contest. However, that didn't keep them from giving their all.
UC Santa Barbara came out strong, grabbing a nine-point lead at the start of the game. Even though Portland State battled back to tie the game on seven separate occasions, the Gauchos still came out with the 85-73 win over the Vikings. With that win, the Gauchos are now on a four-game win streak while grabbing their second road win of the season.
SCOUTING THE MOUNTAINEERS
Appalachian State come into this game with a 7-5 record, most recently defeating NCCAA institution Regent 100-32. Prior to that, the Mountaineers lost by one to Wake Forest and dropped a contest to Charlotte by nine.
The Mountaineers have one of the strongest benches in the NCAA as they have numerous players who can come into the game and score. They are 19th in the NCAA in points scored by the bench as they average 31.58 a game. This team is also a great rebounding team as they are 17th in the NCAA and No. 1 in the Sun Belt in defensive rebounds, grabbing 29.17 per game.
Justin Abson is one of the strongest defensive players for the Mountaineers. He is 17th in the NCAA in blocks with 28 on the season. Not only does he lead the team in blocks, but Abson is the primary rebounder for App State. The freshman comes off the bench each game to lead the team in rebounds with 71 while shooting at an impressive 67.4 percent clip.
On offense, two seniors take the lead. Donovan Gregory played all four seasons in Boone and leads the team with 138 points, which is putting him well on his way to hit 1,000 points before he finishes his career at App State. He also sets up the offense well, leading the team in assists with 42 while snatching the most steals with 20. Tyree Boykin is the other major offensive weapon as the fifth-year transfer from Union has 126 points on the season.
Only one player has started all 12 games for the Mountaineers and that is 6-11 forward CJ Huntley. The junior averages 9.1 points a game and is second on the team in rebounds with 70.
Appalachian State is led by Head Coach Dustin Kerns, who is in his fourth season with the Mountaineers as he holds a 61-47 record. Prior to arriving in Boone, Kerns served as the head coach of Presbyterian. Over his six seasons as a head coach, Kerns has an overall record of 92-84.
WHEREABOUTS
The Gauchos and the Mountaineers will take each other on for this neutral site game at the Footprint Center in Phoenix with a 4 p.m. MST tip. For fans who can't make it to Phoenix, ESPN+ will house the live stream for this game while live stats and radio will also be available at ucsbgauchos.com.
