SANTA BARBARA, Calif. - The UC Santa Barbara Men's Basketball team (12-5, 4-2 Big West) earned their fifth consecutive victory on another buzzer-beating shot by Stephan Swenson. The grad transfer got off a shot with 0.2 seconds left on the game clock to lift the Gauchos over the Highlanders, 66-63.

FROM HEAD COACH JOE PASTERNACK
"We are trying to find a way to play for 40 minutes, thats the key," said Pasternack. "The first half was tough for us, but our defense kept us in it. In the second half we got a more comfortable and played really well."

HOW IT HAPPENED
The game started slow for both sides. The Gauchos got up 4-0 quickly, but UC Riverside responded with a 20-3 scoring run. UC Santa Barbara clawed their way back into the game cutting the lead to single digits. Max Murrell's dunk at 9:58 helped the team cut into the Highlanders' lead and swing momentum back to the Gauchos. Jason Fontenet II capped off the half with a fast-break dunk at 1:46, narrowing the gap to five points as the half ended with a 28-23 score in favor of UCR.

In the second half, UC Santa Barbara made a significant push, outscoring UC Riverside 43-35. Kenny Pohto initiated a strong inside presence with consecutive layups, while Stephan Swenson and Cole Anderson each contributed key 3-pointers, helping UC Santa Barbara close the gap midway through the half. Colin Smith's defensive efforts, including a pivotal steal, and Jason Fontenet II's critical assists were instrumental, leading to a late surge capped by another buzzer beating three-pointer from Stephan Swenson to secure a three-point advantage by the end of the half. The win marked the fifth straight for the Gauchos.

LOOKING AT THE NUMBERS

• Stephan Swenson hit a second consecutive buzzer beater to defeat Cal Poly and UC Riverside. Along with that he also grabbed a season-high eight rebounds in the contest.
• Cole Anderson continues to be lethal from deep. The senior has hit 14 threes over his last three games. He also scored a season high 18 points in the win.
• The Gauchos continue to find the open man, assisting on over half their made baskets in the last three games.

UP NEXT
UC Santa Barbara will have a quick turnaround as they welcome UC Davis to The Thunderdome on Saturday, Jan. 18. The Gauchos and Aggies will tip off at 1 p.m. For those unable to make it in person, the game will be broadcast on Spectrum Sportsnet with live stats available through ucsbgauchos.com/MBBLiveStats.