IRVINE, Calif. (Jan. 16, 2022) – The UC Santa Barbara Men's Basketball team (13-3, 4-1 Big West) are back on the road as they head south to take on the UC Irvine Anteaters in a Big West contest. The last time these two teams faced each other was in The Big West Tournament in Henderson, Nevada where the Gauchos came out victorious.
LAST TIME OUT
The Gauchos were on their home court in The Thunderdome as they took on the UC Riverside Highlanders. Despite the disparity in score at halftime, UC Santa Barbara went on a 15-2 run late in the second half to put them within one of the Highlanders. However, it wasn't enough as the Gauchos lost 65-64 to the Highlanders.
SCOUTING THE ANTEATERS
UC Irvine is one of the hottest teams in The Big West at the moment, as they are undefeated in conference play after playing CSUN, Cal State Fullerton, Long Beach State, UC Davis and Cal State Bakersfield to start this early pursuit for a Big West Championship. Along with that, the Anteaters won against some tough non-conference opponents to prepare for the season, defeating Oregon on the road while also taking down Loyola Marymount.
This team is one of the best three-point shooting teams in the NCAA. They are currently fourth in the nation when it comes to three-point field goal percentage, registering a 40.5 percent clip from beyond the arc. Not only that, but the Anteaters are the top team in The Big West when it comes to assists per game, effective field goal percentage, scoring margin and scoring offense. Their bench is also one of the strongest in the NCAA as they register 28.9 points per game, the 20th-best in the country.
DJ Davis is a huge reason for the Anteaters' success when it comes to three-pointers. He's No. 1 in The Big West when it comes to three pointers per game (2.41) and total three-point field goals made (41). He is also second on the team in points with 236.
Junior guard Dawson Baker is one of just three Anteaters to start in all 17 games, and there's a reason. He leads the team in points, registering 240 through those 17 games as he averages 14.1 per game. With numbers like that, he is able to shoot at a 47.9 percent clip, making 89 of 189 attempted shots.
One Anteater is above the rest when it comes to rebounding, and that is junior forward Devin Tillis. He comes into this game as the team's leading rebounder, grabbing 104 boards this season while averaging 6.12 per game.
UC Irvine are coached by Russell Turner, who is in his 13th season with the program. The Hampden-Sydney Hall of Famer currently boasts a 254-163 record since taking over the program back in 2010.
WHEREABOUTS
Tipoff will be at 6 p.m. in the Bren Events Center on the campus of UC Irvine. A live stream will be available through ESPN+ with live stats also available.
