UPDATE: The UC Santa Barbara women’s basketball team suffered a crushing defeat against UC Riverside, falling 69-62 at the Thunderdome on February 2, 2024. This marks the Gauchos’ fourth loss in five games, deepening their struggles in the Big West Conference.
Offensive woes plagued UCSB for the tenth consecutive game, but head coach Renee Jimenez expressed her greatest frustration about the team’s defensive collapse. “I thought, defensively, we did not execute the scout — I mean, not even close,” Jimenez stated. “To give them a 24-point second quarter and a 21-point fourth quarter is really frustrating. We’re better than that.”
The Gauchos now stand at 16-7 overall and 8-6 in the Big West, slipping further into fifth place, three games behind the fourth spot that guarantees a bye in the first round of the upcoming Big West Tournament.
Despite Riverside’s overall shooting percentage of 42.1%, the Highlanders capitalized on UCSB’s defensive lapses, particularly in key moments. Sophomore Hannah Wickstrom led Riverside with 27 points, hitting 5-of-8 from beyond the arc, outscoring UCSB’s entire team in three-pointers.
In stark contrast, the Gauchos’ long-range shooting has plummeted. Once ranked fourth nationally in three-point accuracy, UCSB now stands at 33.9% after making only 73 of their last 269 attempts (27.1%) over the past ten games. Jimenez acknowledged the team’s shooting struggles, saying, “We’ve been shooting poorly. We got great shots. We got layups around the rim. We did not focus and we did not finish around the rim.”
Freshman Chauncey Andersen provided a brief spark for UCSB, contributing a double-double with 13 points and 11 rebounds. However, their first-quarter lead vanished as Riverside surged ahead. Wickstrom’s scoring spree helped the Highlanders build a commanding lead, making it difficult for the Gauchos to recover.
UCSB’s Zoe Borter attempted to rally the team, scoring 20 points, with a significant portion coming in the second half. Borter hit two three-pointers early in the third quarter, narrowing the gap to just one point by the end of the period. Jimenez praised her team’s fight but noted, “You’re not going to win games when you only play for 10 minutes.”
As the fourth quarter progressed, UCSB managed to close the gap to 56-54 with 6:28 left, but Riverside responded with a decisive 15-6 run to seal the victory.
Looking ahead, UCSB faces another challenge on Saturday, February 4, at 2 p.m. when they host Cal Poly at the Thunderdome. Will they break their slump and regain momentum? Only time will tell as the Gauchos attempt to turn their season around.
The stakes are high as they navigate the final stretch of the season. Fans and analysts alike will be watching closely to see if the Gauchos can bounce back and reestablish themselves as contenders in the Big West Conference.
