SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – The UC Santa Barbara Men's Basketball team will close out their opening four-game homestand this week with two more contests at The Thunderdome. After opening the season with back-to-back victories by more than 20 points, the Gauchos look to keep their undefeated start rolling as they welcome Nevada on Wednesday, Nov. 11, at 6 p.m. before closing out their four-game homestand against UC Merced on Sunday, Nov. 15, at 1 p.m. Santa Barbara will first face an undefeated Wolf Pack squad before taking on the Bobcats.
LAST TIME OUT
The Gauchos have started their 2026-27 campaign with back-to-back victories by more than 20 points in each, most recently securing a 90-67 win over Oakland on Saturday at The Thunderdome. UC Santa Barbara delivered an impressive performance from beyond the arc, matching a program record with 18 three-pointers on 29 attempts.
The Blue and Gold also demonstrated efficient ball movement, dishing out 25 assists while committing just six turnovers. Santa Barbara controlled the boards with a 35-25 rebounding advantage and outpaced Oakland in bench scoring (39-32) and fast-break points (16-5).
SCOUTING THE WOLF PACK
Nevada travels to Santa Barbara on Wednesday for its first true road contest of the 2026-27 season. The Wolf Pack enters the matchup undefeated after opening its campaign with an 86-49 victory over mid-major power Robert Morris before narrowly defeating Saint Mary's 96-95 in overtime at the Caesars Lake Tahoe Classic.
Nevada's offense has gotten off to a strong start, most recently shooting 58 percent from the field and 46 percent from beyond the arc against the Gaels. Vaughn Weems led the Wolf Pack with a career-high 33 points, while Styles Phipps contributed a career-best 25 points, including 11 in overtime. Elijah Price also recorded a double-double with 11 points and 11 rebounds.
On the defensive end, Nevada limited Robert Morris to just 27 percent shooting in its season opener, forcing 19 turnovers and converting them into 24 points. The Wolf Pack also held an 18-5 advantage in second-chance points during the contest. Through its first two games, Nevada has averaged 91 points per game while allowing 72. The Wolf Pack will look to extend its unbeaten start when it faces a UC Santa Barbara squad that has also opened the season with two victories.
SCOUTING THE BOBCATS
UC Merced travels to The Thunderdome on Sunday, Nov. 15, for a 1 p.m. matchup against UC Santa Barbara. The Bobcats will open their 2026-27 campaign with a pair of home contests against Pacific Union College and UC Santa Cruz before making their first road appearance against the Gauchos.
The Bobcats are coming off a 10-16 season, including an 8-14 record in California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) play during their provisional year in the conference. UC Merced averaged 70.1 points and 37.4 rebounds per game last season while shooting 45 percent from the field. The Bobcats enter their first season as an active NCAA Division II member following their transition from the NAIA.
Among the notable returners is senior guard Sterling McClanahan, who earned All-CCAA Second Team honors after leading the Bobcats with 16.9 points per game, the third-highest average in the conference. Fellow senior Cyprus Graham is currently ranked eighth in program history with a .486 field goal percentage. Graham averaged 6.6 points per game and recorded a career-high 20 points and five steals against Cal State LA. The Bobcats will also look to replace the production of All-CCAA First Team selection Elijah Charles, who averaged 15.9 points and a conference-leading 9.9 rebounds per game last season.
FOLLOW ALONG
The Gauchos will host the Nevada Wolf Pack on Wednesday, Nov. 11, with tipoff set for 6 p.m. at The Thunderdome. UC Santa Barbara will return to the court on Sunday, Nov. 15, for a 1 p.m. matchup against the UC Merced Bobcats. Both games will be streamed live on ESPN+, with live stats also available.
