LA JOLLA, Calif. - Looking to bounce back after suffering their first lost in the last six games, the UC Santa Barbara Men's Basketball team (12-7, 4-4 Big West) got out to a quick start but could not keep their edge as the Tritons defeated Santa Barbara, 77-63.

FROM HEAD COACH JOE PASTERNACK
"Give credit UC San Diego, they are a terrific team," said Pasternack. "We had too many turnovers again and we'll need to fix that before Saturday's game."

HOW IT HAPPENED
UC Santa Barbara started the first half with an early lead, as Kenny Pohto converted two free throws followed by a dunk. Despite a series of turnovers, UC Santa Barbara managed to maintain competitive pressure with Deuce Turner and Stephan Swenson each adding key baskets. However, the Tritons responded with a strong offensive push, ultimately leading 44-31 at the end of the half, highlighted by a string of 3-pointers and fast-break layups.

In the second half, UC Santa Barbara worked to close the gap against UCSD with contributions from several players. Stephan Swenson hit an early 3-pointer at 17:30, helping the Gauchos stay competitive. Ariel Bland was active on both ends, securing defensive rebounds and converting free throws, while Max Murrell added a dunk to energize the team. Ben Shtolzberg and Deuce Turner provided a late push, contributing to a scoring burst that brought Santa Barbara within 11 points in the final minutes. Despite a strong effort, the Gauchos fell to San Diego by a score of 77-63.

LOOKING AT THE NUMBERS

• Deuce Turner found his rhythm on the offensive end of the ball. After recording just eight points over the last four games, the Graduate Student scored 16 on 7-of-14 shooting.
• With his 10 points tonight, Stephan Swenson has scored in double figures in each of the last four games and five out of the last six.
• For just the second time this year, the Gauchos shot under 30 percent from three in a game going 5-23 from beyond the arc.

UP NEXT
UC Santa Barbara will stay on the road as they travel to Cal State Fullerton. The Gauchos and Titans will tip off at 6 p.m. in Titan Gym on Saturday, Jan. 25. For those unable to make the trip the game will be broadcast on ESPN+ with live stats available through ucsbgauchos.com/MBBLiveStats.