SANTA BARBARA, Calif. — The UC Santa Barbara men's basketball team inched closer to a top two seed in The Big West Championships after securing an 84-79 victory over UC Irvine on Saturday at The Thunderdome. The Gauchos led by as much as 21 against the Anteaters, who currently sit in first place in The Big West standings.
FROM HEAD COACH JOE PASTERNACK
"I'm just proud of our guys for gutting it out, honoring the process on Friday of preparation, and to be able to prepare for the best team in our league," said Pasternack. "They're the best team in our league. It was all about rebounding. I thought, you know, 37 to 27 on the boards was the difference in the game. We said that would be the key.
Colin Smith was a monster tonight, 17 and 7.
Zion Sensley had a double-double, 13 rebounds, and
Hosana Kitenge really changed the energy of the game, the way he competed, and sometimes his passion gets him in trouble, as my passion gets me in trouble. We're kind of the same, but I thought he was amazing."
HOW IT HAPPENED
UC Santa Barbara and UCI opened the first half with a closely contested start, as both teams traded early scores.
Aidan Mahaney's layup at 18:47 tied the game. The Gauchos capitalized on fast breaks and second-chance points, with
Michael Simcoe and
Colin Smith contributing key baskets to keep the game level.
UC Santa Barbara gained momentum midway through the half, narrowing the gap with a three-pointer by
Zion Sensley at 12:09. The team maintained pressure with defensive rebounds and crucial steals, leading to a scoring surge capped by Smith's jumper at 2:52, which helped the Gauchos edge ahead. The home team closed the half strong, with
Marvin McGhee IV converting a layup and
CJ Shaw adding free throws to secure a 34-28 lead at the end of the first half. The Gauchos ended the first half on a 16-4 run.
UC Santa Barbara opened the second half with a series of effective plays, highlighted by
Hosana Kitenge's layup and Mahaney's jumper, extending their lead to 42–30 within the first three minutes. A critical turnover by the 'Eaters led to a steal by Shaw, furthering the momentum. The Gauchos continued to apply pressure, with Mahaney delivering a three-pointer and later converting free throws, helping to push the score to 57–39 halfway through the half.
As the half progressed, UC Santa Barbara maintained its lead through consistent scoring and defensive efforts, including a fastbreak layup by Shaw. Despite UCI's attempts to close the gap, including a couple of three-pointers, the Gauchos responded effectively with contributions from Sensley and McGhee IV. In the closing minutes, UC Santa Barbara held on to the lead by knocking down free throws and holding on to win 84-79.
UP NEXT
UC Santa Barbara will head to UC Riverside on Thursday, Feb. 12. The Highlanders and Gauchos will tip off at 7 p.m. at SRC Arena. The game will be broadcast on ESPN+ with live stats available.
