Overview:
UCSB, winner of 11 of its last 12 basketball games, will be playing for the fifth time in just 11 days
Three free tickets are available for local youth and their families to attend UC Santa Barbara’s Youth Night men’s basketball game against Cal State Bakersfield on Saturday at 7 p.m.
To access the tickets, scan the QR code in the advertisement below.
The Gauchos (15-3, 6-1 Big West Conference) are off to their best start since going 15-1 through the first half of the 1988-89 season.
They are tied for second place in league play with UC Irvine (13-6, 6-1), just a half-game behind UC Riverside (14-6, 7-1). Riverside will play host to fourth-place Hawaii (14-5, 5-2) on Saturday at 1 p.m. while Irvine will take the day off.
UCSB, which has won 11 of its last 12 games, will be playing its fifth game in 11 days.
“I think it’s unprecedented,” coach Joe Pasternack said of the jam-packed schedule. “We’ll be playing three times in one week.
“It’s tough, because these kids have school, and they have their bodies to take care of.”
Bakersfield (6-12, 2-5) had Thursday off and will be playing its fourth game in 11 days.
The Gauchos are led by sophomore point guard Ajay Mitchell (15.9 points and 4.7 assists per game) senior forward Miles Norris (13.3 points, 6.3 rebounds), senior guard Josh Pierre-Louis (9.7 points, 2.1 assists), and graduate center Andre Kelly (9.4 points, 6.6 rebounds).
