SANTA BARBARA, Calif. — The UC Santa Barbara Men's Basketball team defeated Cal State Bakersfield, 109-84 at The Thunderdome on Saturday. UC Santa Barbara made a season-high 14 three-pointers and outrebounded Bakersfield 40-22.
 
FROM HEAD COACH JOE PASTERNACK
"Our guys, considering the circumstances over the last 48 hours, did a great job," said Pasternack. "For us, defense and rebounding will be our calling card and I thought we rebounded very well against a tough rebounding team. Right now, we are relying on our shooting and for us to compete at any level, we need to improve our defense."
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
UC Santa Barbara began the first half establishing a strong offensive presence, highlighted by Aidan Mahaney's early 3-pointer at 18:53. The team executed well in both paint and perimeter play, accumulating 14 points in the paint and converting eight 3-pointers. The Gauchos also maintained a solid defensive effort, outrebounding the Roadrunners 20–6.
 
As the half progressed, UC Santa Barbara extended their lead with multiple runs. Marvin McGhee IV and Zion Sensley contributed significantly with crucial rebounds. The half closed with a last-second jumper by Mahaney, securing a 51–36 lead at the break.
 
UC Santa Barbara effectively maintained their momentum in the second half, starting with a notable three-pointer by Zion Sensley, assisted by CJ Shaw, at 18:41. UCSB further extended their advantage with consistent scoring, including a layup and free throw by Hosana Kitenge at 14:22, pushing the score to 66–50. Mahaney continued to contribute significantly on offense as his hot shooting lasted throughout the game.
 
As the second half progressed, UCSB's efficient shooting and defensive plays, such as Evans Kipruto's block and subsequent defensive rebound at 10:52, helped secure even more momentum. UCSB continued to capitalize on opportunities, with Michael Simcoe adding a dunk at 6:08 and later a three-pointer at 2:25, further stretching the Gaucho lead. The Gauchos finished the game with a dominant scoreline of 109–84.
 
NOTABLES

• Aidan Mahaney scored a career-high 30 points in the win, breaking his previous career high of 26, which he set just one game ago.
• Zion Sensley recorded his third double-double of the season with a 16-point, 14-rebound performance. He pulled in five offensive boards and nine defensive.
• The Gauchos have now won 13 straight games against the Roadrunners. UCSB has not lost to Bakersfield since the 2016-17 season. The win also goes down as the largest margin of victory over the 'Runners.
• CJ Shaw has a 6-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio over the last four games.
• This was the first time since Jan. 21, 2021, that the Gauchos scored 100 or more points in a Big West game.

 
UP NEXT
UC Santa Barbara will have about a week to prepare for their next contest as they travel to Salt Lake City, Utah, to take on Utah Valley at the Delta Center on Saturday, Dec. 13.