SANTA BARBARA, Calif. - The UC Santa Barbara Men's Basketball team (10-5, 2-2 Big West) got back to .500 in conference play with a 78-66 win over Cal State Bakersfield (8-9, 2-3 Big West), Thursday night. This marks the 10th consecutive victory over the Roadrunners for the Blue and Gold.

FROM HEAD COACH JOE PASTERNACK
"We played really well in the first half," said Pasternack. "Bakersfield is plus-8 in rebounding and our goal was not to give up offensive rebounds, and our team did a great job of that. We won the rebounding battle 34-27, and they only had six offensive boards. That was step one, and step two was not to turn the ball over. We had 13 but we would like to get to 10 or fewer."

HOW IT HAPPENED
UC Santa Barbara started strong with Jason Fontenet II scoring a 3-pointer early, helping the Gauchos gain an early edge. Despite several turnovers and fouls by both teams, the Gauchos managed to extend their lead with a series of successful 3-pointers, including two from Cole Anderson. Notably, with his third three-point make, Anderson entered the top 10 in all-time three-pointers, marking a significant milestone in his career. By the midpoint of the half, UC Santa Barbara's effective shooting and defensive rebounds contributed to a 31-13 lead. CSU Bakersfield struggled with turnovers and missed opportunities, while the Gauchos capitalized on fast breaks and second-chance points, ending the half ahead 44-29.

The second half saw UC Santa Barbara maintain its lead over Bakersfield, starting with a strong offensive push. Max Murrell initiated the half with a jumper, assisted by Kenny Pohto, which was soon followed by Pohto's layup, assisted by Jason Fontenet II, extending their lead to 50-29. The Roadrunners responded with a series of 3-pointers of their own, narrowing the score to 53-37. Despite this surge, UC Santa Barbara continued to hold their advantage, with Stephan Swenson making a layup and Cole Anderson hitting a 3-pointer to keep the score in their favor and walk away with a 78-66 win.

LOOKING AT THE NUMBERS

• With his third made three-pointer tonight, Cole Anderson passed Orlando Johnson for 10th all-time on career three-pointers. He now has 184 made threes in his career.
• Max Murrell grabbed a season-high four rebounds in the win. He also tied a season-high with 11 points in the contest.
• The Gauchos had 20 assists on 26 made baskets in the contest. It is tied for the second most this season and is their seventh game recording 15 or more.

UP NEXT
The Gauchos will have a day off before heading up to San Luis Obispo on Saturday, Jan. 11. UC Santa Barbara and Cal Poly will tip off at 5 p.m. on Saturday. For those unable to make the trip north, the game will be streamed on ESPN+ with live stats available.