UC Santa Barbara Women’s Basketball Falls 69-62 to UC Riverside

UPDATE: The UC Santa Barbara women’s basketball team suffered another setback, falling 69-62 to UC Riverside on February 2, 2023, at the Thunderdome. This defeat marks UCSB’s fourth loss in the last five games, leaving them struggling in the Big West Conference.

Head coach Renee Jimenez expressed her frustration after the game, noting significant defensive lapses that allowed Riverside to surge during critical moments. “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 sit in fifth place with a record of 16-7 and 8-6 in the conference, three games behind the fourth spot, which is crucial for securing a bye in the upcoming Big West Tournament.

Despite Riverside’s overall shooting percentage of only 42.1%, UCSB’s defensive struggles allowed them to capitalize with a strong second and fourth quarter. Standout player Hannah Wickstrom, averaging 23.3 points nationally, dominated with 27 points on 10-of-17 shooting, including five three-pointers, outscoring UCSB’s entire team in that category.

The Gauchos were once ranked fourth in the nation for three-point accuracy, but they have since plummeted to 33.9% due to a troubling shooting slump. They have made just 73 of 269 three-point attempts over the last ten games, translating to a dismal 27.1% average.

Jimenez emphasized the need for improvement, stating, “We’ve been shooting poorly. We got great shots. We did not focus and we did not finish around the rim.” Freshman Chauncey Andersen provided a spark off the bench, scoring 13 points and grabbing 11 rebounds, while Zoe Borter led the Gauchos in the second half, finishing with 20 points.

UCSB made a valiant effort to narrow the gap, reducing a significant deficit to just 56-54 midway through the fourth quarter. However, Riverside pulled away in the final minutes, outscoring the Gauchos 15-6 during that stretch. Jimenez lamented, “You’re not going to win games when you only play for 10 minutes.”

The Gauchos return to action on Saturday, February 4, 2023, for a pivotal home game against Cal Poly at 2 p.m. Fans are eager to see if UCSB can turn their fortunes around and regain their competitive edge in the conference.