PHOENIX – The UC Santa Barbara Men's Basketball team (5-3) are heading into their final week of non-conference play. They are starting off this two-game stretch at the Jerry Colangelo Classic in Phoenix. The Gauchos will hit the court in the Footprint Center to face another California institution in Loyola Marymount. The last time these two teams played each other was in 2020, when they played a two-game series in the Lions' gym, where each team won a game.
LAST TIME OUT
The Gauchos were back in The Thunderdome and took on their final non-divisional opponent of the season in Bethesda. UC Santa Barbara dominated their opponent, setting a new school record for the most points scored in a game as they won 126-76. Seven Gauchos finished the game with double-digit points, including
Cole Anderson, who led the team with 20 points, and
Ariel Bland, who put up a triple-double with 13 rebounds, 12 points and 10 assists.
TAMING THE LIONS
Loyola Marymount is currently 6-4 on the season. They have taken losses to Tale, Stephen F. Austin, Oakland and Nevada while taking down Florida International, UTEP, Central Arkansas, Jackson State and, most recently, UNLV. They also won against a non-divisional opponent in Westcliff.
The Lions have a strong bench this season. They are currently 37th in the NCAA when it comes to points off the bench, averaging 30.1 per game.
One of the biggest offensive weapons for the Lions is Dominick Harris. The Gonzaga transfer is one of the top players in the country when shooting from beyond the arc. He is 15th in the NCAA when it comes to three-point field goal percentage, shooting at 47 percent. He is also 26th in the NCAA in three pointers per game, averaging 3.1 a game. With numbers like this, the junior guard leads the team in scoring with 153 points.
Alex Merkviladze and Lars Thiemann have been two instrumental players for the Lions on defense. The seniors lead the team in rebounds as Merkviladze has grabbed 54 this season while Thiemann is close behind with 53. Thiemann also leads the team in blocks with 10.
Justice Hill is another key player for the Lions. The senior guard has contributed 103 points so far this season while leading the team in assists with 41.
WHEREABOUTS
Tip-off will be at 1:30 p.m. PT in the Footprint Center, home of the Phoenix Suns. For those who can't make the trip, they can follow along with ESPN+ or StatBroadcast.
