The UC Santa Barbara women’s basketball team faced a challenging game on February 8, 2024, suffering a 69-62 defeat to UC Riverside at the Thunderdome. This loss marks the Gauchos’ tenth consecutive game grappling with offensive struggles, raising concerns about their defensive performance, especially in critical moments.
Coach Renee Jimenez expressed frustration regarding her team’s defensive execution. “I thought, defensively, we did not execute the scout — I mean, not even close,” she stated. The Gauchos allowed Riverside to score 24 points in the second quarter and 21 in the fourth, a trend that has become increasingly problematic as the season progresses.
With this defeat, UCSB has now lost four of its last five games, placing them 8-6 in the Big West Conference and deepening their position in fifth place—three games behind the fourth spot, which is crucial for securing a bye in the first round of the upcoming Big West Tournament. The Highlanders improved to 6-8 in the conference with this win.
Despite shooting only 42.1% overall, Riverside capitalized on critical moments, particularly during the second and fourth quarters. Hannah Wickstrom, a standout sophomore, scored 27 points, surpassing her impressive season average of 23.3 points per game. She made 10 of 17 shots, including five three-pointers—outperforming the entire UCSB team, which managed only four three-pointers on 19 attempts, translating to a 21.1% success rate.
UCSB’s three-point shooting has notably declined; they were once ranked fourth nationally in accuracy at 39.5% but have since dropped to 33.9%. Over the last ten games, the Gauchos have converted just 73 of 269 attempts from beyond the arc, averaging a mere 27.1%.
Coach Jimenez acknowledged the shooting woes, stating, “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 when we got up.” She emphasized the need for stronger defensive cohesion, saying, “We talked a lot this week about making changes by February after going through a hard January, and that we needed to be more connected defensively.”
In the first quarter, Chauncey Andersen provided a spark off the bench, scoring three consecutive baskets and helping UCSB to a narrow lead of 16-14 by the end of the quarter. Andersen finished the game with a double-double, contributing 13 points and 11 rebounds.
As the second quarter unfolded, UCSB’s shooting struggles became evident. The Gauchos missed six of their first seven shots, allowing Riverside to seize momentum. Wickstrom’s three-pointers and a runner during a 22-8 scoring run helped the Highlanders establish a 36-24 advantage by halftime.
Despite the challenges, Zoe Borter demonstrated resilience, scoring 17 of her team-high 20 points in the second half after being limited to just three free throws in the first. Her early efforts in the third quarter, including a pair of three-pointers, helped reduce the deficit to a single point at 48-47.
“I was proud of their effort to fight back, but you’re not going to win games when you only play for 10 minutes,” Jimenez remarked.
The final quarter saw Borter cut the deficit to 56-54 with a quick series of baskets, including her third three-pointer of the game. However, UC Riverside responded decisively, outscoring UCSB 15-6 in the final six minutes to secure the victory.
As the season progresses, UCSB will seek to address these issues ahead of their next game. The Gauchos are set to return to action on February 10, 2024, with a home matchup against Cal Poly at 14:00. The outcome of this game will be crucial for their aspirations in the conference standings as they aim to regain momentum and improve their performance.