SANTA BARBARA, Calif. - The UC Santa Barbara Men's Basketball team (17-10, 9-7 Big West) secured a commanding victory over the Cal State Fullerton with a final score of 86-56 at The Thunderdome Thursday night. UC Santa Barbara led by 11 points at halftime before extending their margin in the second half. The Gauchos' shooting performance featured 33 baskets on 62 attempts, including 12 three-pointers. Their defense was also notable, recording 7 steals and six blocks. With this win, the Gauchos clinched their eighth consecutive winning season, marking the longest streak in program history.

FROM HEAD COACH JOE PASTERNACK
On tonight's game: "I thought our guys were really hungry this week," said Pasternack. "We had good days at practice and honored the process really well. It was nice to have Colin Smith back, that has really hurt us over the last 10 games or so. We made an effort this week to play Zion Sensley, he is so talented. Deuce Turner was also great today."

On securing an eighth straight winning season: "We took over a team that had won six games and it's a credit to the players," said Pasternack. "We have had some really good players, but it is also a credit to the administration and how supportive they have been."

HOW IT HAPPENED
UC Santa Barbara opened the first half with a strong performance, highlighted by Kenny Pohto's early contribution with two consecutive layups in the first two minutes. The Gauchos then capitalized on turnovers, scoring 13 points off of the Titan miscues and posting a total of 15 bench points. Deuce Turner added a key three-pointer with 31 seconds left, helping Santa Barbara extend their lead to finish the half ahead 38-27. The Gauchos ended the half on a 14-2 run.

The Gauchos carried that momentum into the second half. Jason Fontenet II and Deuce Turner contributed early layups, while Cole Anderson and Zion Sensley each hit key three-pointers, expanding the lead. Ben Shtolzberg and Zion Sensley repeatedly found success in the paint, bolstering the team's performance and securing a commanding home victory.

UP NEXT
The Gauchos will hit the road on Saturday, Feb. 22 as they travel to Long Beach State to take on The Beach. Santa Barbara and Long Beach will tip off at 4 p.m. with the game being streamed through ESPN+, live stats will also be available at ucsbgauchos.com/MBBLiveStats.