Gauchos Host Blue-Inexperienced Rivalry, Journey to Long Beach

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – The UC Santa Barbara Men’s Basketball group seems to be to keep up momentum in convention play once they host Cal Poly on the Thunderdome, adopted by a highway recreation at Long Beach State.

LAST TIME OUT

Last Saturday, the Gauchos defeated convention chief Hawai’i 77-62, extending their successful streak in opposition to the Rainbow Warriors to eight video games. The Blue and Gold surged forward early, holding Hawai’i scoreless for over 4 minutes. Colin Smith scored six straight factors, and UCSB entered halftime with a 40-21 lead. Hosana Kitenge had an ideal night time, going 6-for-6 on the ground, and Miro Little’s key three-pointer and 8-0 run within the second half prolonged the Gaucho’s result in 15 and locked within the win for the group.

SCOUTING THE MUSTANGS

Cal Poly is coming off a tough 66-86 loss to Hawai’i final Thursday, dropping to a 7-12 total document and 3-4 in convention play. The Mustangs at present sit at eighth within the Big West and are 3-7 on the highway. Head coach Mike DeGeorge, now in his second yr with Cal Poly, goals to construct on final season’s success, having guided the group to the Big West Championship semifinals for the primary time in 11 years.

The Mustangs are averaging a stable 80.6 factors per recreation, rating third within the Big West, however they battle defensively, permitting 85.3 factors per recreation, which ranks final within the convention. Cal Poly shoots 33.5 p.c from past the arc and averages 10.8 three-pointers per contest, good for first within the Big West. Cal Poly additionally pulls down 38.8 rebounds per recreation.

Sophomore Hamad Mousa leads the Mustangs and ranks first within the Big West, averaging 21.6 factors per recreation. The Mustangs have two different gamers within the high 10: Cayden Ward, averaging 15.0 factors per recreation, and Peter Bandelj, averaging 14.8. Mousa and Ward additionally rank within the high 10 for rebounds, with Mousa averaging 6.8 and Ward 5.9.

SCOUTING THE BEACH

Long Beach is recent off three consecutive wins, its most up-to-date victory coming in opposition to CSUN with an 87-80 win. This sizzling streak brings the group to an 8-11 total document, with a 4-3 document in Big West play. The Beach, who sit at sixth within the convention, carry out considerably stronger at house, boasting a 7-3 house document there in comparison with simply 1-8 in away video games. Head coach Chris Acker is in his second season with the group and appears to proceed enhancing on Long Beach’s Tenth-place end within the Big West final season. Prior to their matchup with the Gauchos, the Beach will face convention opponents Cal State Fullerton on Thursday night time.

LBSU is middle-of-the-road defensively, rating sixth within the convention and averaging 77.0 factors allowed per recreation. Offensively, Long Beach ranks ninth, scoring 75.9 factors per recreation. The Beach shoot 32.7 p.c from past the arc and make 6.8 threes per recreation on common, rating towards the underside within the convention. The group struggles in rebounding, averaging 33.5 rebounds per recreation, which ranks final within the Big West.

The Beach have two gamers scoring in double figures. The first, main the group offensively, is freshman Gavin Sykes, who averages 18.9 factors per recreation and ranks second within the Big West. Not far behind him is sophomore Petar Majstorovic, who ranks seventh within the convention with 15.3 factors per recreation; Majstorovic additionally ranks seventh for rebounds with 6.3 per recreation.

FOLLOW ALONG

UCSB’s Thursday matchup in opposition to Cal Poly will tip off at 6 p.m. inside The Thunderdome, whereas Saturday’s contest at Long Beach will start at 4 p.m. inside Walter Pyramid. For those that can not attend in individual, video games may be streamed on ESPN+ with dwell stats accessible.