UC Riverside 59, at UC Santa Barbara 70

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (Interstat) — In a game defined by defensive pressure and offensive struggles, the UC Santa Barbara Gauchos used a dominant first-half performance to secure a 70-59 victory over the visiting UC Riverside Highlanders in a Big West Conference men’s basketball game Thursday night at the Thunderdome. A crowd of 2,026 watched as the Gauchos, led by a combined 40 points from Zion Sensley and Aidan Mahaney, built a 12-point halftime lead and then weathered a more competitive second half to improve to 18-11 overall. The Highlanders, who shot a frigid 2 for 16 from three-point range, fell… Read more...