Men's Basketball Returns Home For Games Against UC Santa Barbara, Cal Poly

January 23	7 pm PT	vs. UC Santa Barbara	Fox Sports 1350 AM	Live Video	Listen Live	Live Stats	Call (951) 827-4653 For Tickets
January 25	7 pm PT	vs. Cal Poly	Fox Sports 1350 AM	Live VIdeo	Listen Live	Live Stats	Call (951) 827-4653 For Tickets
					Game Notes

Riverside, CA—The UC Riverside Men's Basketball Team returns to the friendly confines of the SRC Arena this week for a pair of Big West Conference games against UC Santa Barbara on Thursday, January 23 and vs. Cal Poly on Saturday, January 25. Both games tip off at 7 pm PT.

The Highlanders went 1-1 last week picking up their first conference win of the season in the process. On January 16, UCR erased a 19-point, second-half deficit at UC Davis to beat the Aggies, 81-69 (box score/recap). That comeback tied the program's Division I-era record for largest deficit overcome as Taylor Johns led all scorers with 22 points, and Sam Finley scored 18 of his 19 after the break. UC Riverside subsequently traveled to Hawai'i, where they struggled, dropping a 100-69 decision to the Rainbow Warriors (box score/recap).

Finley is now the second leading freshman scorer in the conference (10.8 ppg) and ranks seventh in the Big West in scoring in conference games (16.0). Johns and Chris Patton give UC Riverside three double-digit scorers averaging 12.8 and 12.6 points per game respectively.

UC Santa Barbara improved to 11-5 overall and 2-1 in conference with wins last week over Long Beach State (64-51) and Cal State Northridge (79-69). Alan Williams leads the Gauchos offensive efforts averaging what are by far league-best averages of 22.8 points and 11.0 rebounds per game. Kyle Boswell (11.9) and Michael Bryson (10.6) also average double-figures in scoring for UCSB as the team itself makes 48.0 percent of its field goal attempts and 38.2 percent of its three-pointers. UC Santa Barbara is equally adept on the defensive end of the floor holding opponents to 38.9 percent from the floor.

The Highlanders and Gauchos have split the last four meetings between the clubs with each team winning a pair on their home floor (view all-time results). Last season, Chris Harriel (14), Taylor Johns (11) and Chris Patton (10) each scored in double figures in UCR's 54-45 win over UC Santa Barbara on February 20 (box score/recap). In the March 9 rematch, Harriel and Austin Quick combined to score 33 points, but the rest of the squad made just four of 22 shots in the 56-46 loss (box score/recap).

Cal Poly started conference play with three straight wins, before falling 63-62 to Long Beach State on January 18. As it has for the past several years, the Mustangs' continued success stems from its defense as they lead the conference in scoring defense at 64.2 points per game. Opponents make just 41.8 percent of their shots from the field, and 31.5 percent form long distance. Chris Eversley and Dave Nwaba each average more than 10 points per game at 13.9 and 12.0 respectively.

The Highlanders are 43-45 all-time against Cal Poly (view all-time results), but the Mustangs have won four straight including a 58-48 decision at the SRC Arena (box score/recap) and a 68-62 win at Mott Gym (box score/recap).

Men's Basketball Returns Home For Games Against UC Santa Barbara, Cal Poly

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