SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – After an Opening Night win over the University of San Francisco, the UC Santa Barbara Women's Basketball hits the road as they will travel to Pocatello, Ida. to take on the Idaho State Bengals before returning home to host the Southern Utah Thunderbirds.
LAST TIME OUT
The Gauchos started their season in The Thunderdome against the San Francisco Dons. UC Santa Barbara scorched the nets all night long shooting over .500 from the field and .800 from the free-throw line as the Gauchos put up 87 points. Of the 87 points, 53 points were scored in the first half tying for the seventh most points scored in the first half of a game in program history.
Some notable performances from the game include
Alexis Whitfield's 22-point, 12-rebound double-double, her third career. Senior,
Alyssa Marin scored 14 while dishing out seven assists.
Skylar Burke played 28 minutes, a team-high, scoring 12 points and grabbing eight boards. Off the bench,
Mary McMorris scored eight while recording six assists.
Jessica Grant found her stroke in the second half scoring nine of her 12 points in the fourth quarter.
BESTING THE BENGALS
Idaho State comes into the game with a 1-1 overall record. The Bengals won their opening night game against Park University (Ariz.) before falling to No. 24 Washington State on Sunday, Nov. 12.
The Bengals are averaging 72.0 points per game coming into the contest on .387 shooting from the field and .304 shooting from beyond the three-point arc. Idaho State is shooting a measly .620 from the free-throw line, ranking 277 of 348 Division I schools.
Individually, junior guard, Tasia Jordan leads the Bengals in scoring averaging 13.0 points per game and 5.0 rebounds per game. Junior forward, Laura Bello is currently averaging a double-double on the season with 12.0 points per game and 10.0 rebounds per game.
On the glass sophomore guard, Kacey Spink is averaging 12.5 rebounds per game to go along with her eight total assists over two games. Maria Dias, a junior guard is a key contributor off the bench averaging 11.5 points per game.
THRASHING THE THUNDERBIRDS
Southern Utah, an NCAA Tournament team a year ago, is currently 0-2 on the season with a game against Alaska Fairbanks coming up tomorrow. The Thunderbirds have fallen at home to Eastern Washington and Western Kentucky.
The Thunderbirds are averaging 69.5 points per game so far in the season on .429 shooting from the floor. Their struggles have come from three-point land as they are shooting a lackluster .277. Turnovers have hurt Southern Utah as well as they are averaging 19.0 per game following their two losses.
Daylani Ballena, a senior guard for the Thunderbirds is averaging 17.0 points per game, a team high for Southern Utah. Sitting just behind her are Megan Smith and Ava Uhrich who both are averaging 13.0 points per game.
Southern Utah does not have a player averaging more than five rebounds per game. Leading the Thunderbirds in the at category are Megan Smith, Alexa Lord and Ava Uhrich who all average 5.0 boards per game. Nine Thunderbirds have grabbed at least one rebound so far this season.
FOLLOW ALONG
The Gauchos will take on Idaho State on Wednesday, Nov. 15 at 6 p.m. inside Reed Gym in Pocatello, Ida. For those unable to attend in person the game will be streamed through ESPN+. On Sunday, Nov. 19 the Gauchos will host Southern Utah at 2 p.m. in The Thunderdome. The game will also be streamed through ESPN+.
