UC SANTA BARBARA, Calif. - The UC Santa Barbara Men's Basketball team (16-8, 8-5 Big West) continued their strong start to February. The Gauchos are now 3-0 in the month and are averaging 80.7 points per contest. Although the Gauchos shooting has been what's impressive, the defense rallied in tonight's contest to seal the Gauchos third straight victory and fourth in their last five games.
FROM HEAD COACH JOE PASTERNACK
"Every night in this conference is a battle," said Pasternack. "It doesn't matter if you are playing the first place team or the last place team; everyone has talent. We didn't play well tonight, and sometimes you have to find ways to win, and we did."
(Jason Fontenet II had 12 points and 8 rebounds. Entenza Design).
HOW IT HAPPENED
UC Santa Barbara concluded the first half with a 39-32 lead over UH, capitalizing on a strong performance from Deuce Turner. The grad transfer contributed with multiple 3-pointers and free throws, including a fast-break 3-pointer at 2:30. Jason Fontenet II was also crucial, securing rebounds and scoring a layup and a jumper, helping the team maintain momentum. Despite the Rainbow Warriors' efforts, including a late scoring run from the free-throw line and a 3-pointer, the Gauchos defensive plays and efficient shooting, highlighted by a Stephan Swenson 3-pointer, kept them ahead.
UC Santa Barbara maintained a tight contest against the Rainbow Warriors in the second half, starting with a 3-pointer by Cole Anderson, assisted by Jason Fontenet II. Anderson later tied the game at 55 with another 3-pointer, while Deuce Turner put UC Santa Barbara ahead with a fast-break 3-pointer with just under a minute left. In the final moments, Stephan Swenson secured the lead with two free throws to contribute to the 74-72 advantage, and Max Murrell added two more free throws to seal a 76-72 victory by the end of the half.
LOOKING AT THE NUMBER
The Gauchos forced a season-high 20 turnovers against the Rainbow Warriors. The last time UC Santa Barbara turned a team over 20 or more times was against Cal State Fullerton on Dec. 29, 2022. The Gauchos also added a season-high 10 steals against Hawai'i.
Deuce Turner and Kenny Pohto both scored their 1,000th career point tonight. The Gauchos now have three players with over 1,000 career points on their team (Pohto, Swenson, Turner).
UP NEXT
UC Santa Barbara looks to carry their momentum into their next contest against top of the standings, UC Irvine. The Gauchos and Anteaters will tip off at 8 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 13. For those unable to make the trip to Irvine, the game will be nationally televised on ESPNU.