Week in Sports

TOP SPORTING EVENTS: FEBRUARY 16-28

UCLA, ranked No. 6 nationally in both softball and men’s volleyball, sends those two teams to UCSB on Wednesday (Feb. 17). The Bruins will play the Gauchos in a softball double-header beginning at noon, and at 7 p.m. the volleyball teams will clash at Robertson Gym.

The Gauchos expect to be competitive. Their softball team brings a 4-1 record into the home opener. The volleyball team has bounced back from a spate of five-set defeats – including a heartbreaker at UCLA – and last week it beat both Long Beach State and UC San Diego in five games. UCSB has moved up to No. 8 in the rankings.

There is a lot of CIF playoff action in high school sports this week. Two hometown teams are top-seeded in their divisions – the Dos Pueblos water polo girls (27-0 record), who open the playoffs at home Wednesday, and the Santa Barbara soccer boys (24-0-1), who get started Thursday. They will face a pair of wild-card teams.

Channel League champion San Marcos opens the boys basketball playoffs against Mountain View from El Monte on Wednesday night at Maury Halleck Gym.

Tuesday, February 16

High school girls water polo – CIF playoffs, wild card round: San Marcos at El Toro, 3:15 p.m.; LaSalle at Carpinteria, 3:15 p.m.

College women’s basketball – Westmont at Biola, 5:30 p.m.

College men’s basketball –Westmont at Biola, 7:30 p.m.

Wednesday, February 17

College softball – UCLA at UCSB (2), 12 p.m.

College men’s basketball – UCSB at Cal State Fullerton, 7 p.m.

College men’s volleyball – UCLA at UCSB, Robertson Gym, 7 p.m.

High school girls soccer – CIF playoffs, wild card round: West Torrance at Dos Pueblos, 3 p.m.

High school girls water polo – CIF playoffs, first round: Fountain Valley or Millikan at Dos Pueblos, 3:15 p.m.; Huntington Beach at Santa Barbara, 3:15 p.m.

High school boys basketball – CIF playoffs, first round: Mountain View at San Marcos, 7 p.m.; Dos Pueblos at Garden Grove, 7 p.m.; Carpinteria at Pacific Hills, 7 p.m.; Bishop Diego at St. Anthony, 7 p.m.; Cate at Pilibos, 7 p.m.; Laguna Blanca at Brethren Christian, 7 p.m..

Thursday, February 18

High school boys soccer – CIF playoffs, first round: Littlerock at Santa Barbara, 3 p.m.; Dos Pueblos at Palmdale Knight, 3 p.m.; Inglewood at Carpinteria, 3 p.m.; Oakwood or Granite Hills at Cate, 3 p.m.

High school girls basketball – CIF playoffs, first round: Paso Robles at Santa Barbara, 7 p.m.; San Marcos at Palos Verdes, 7 p.m.; Fillmore at Carpinteria, 7 p.m.; Bishop Diego at Thacher, 7 p.m.; Waverly at Laguna Blanca, 7 p.m..

Friday, February 19

High school girls soccer – CIF playoffs, first round: Long Beach Poly at Santa Barbara, 3 p.m.; Dos Pueblos at San Clemente, 3 p.m.; La Puente at Cate, 3 p.m.; Cantwell Sacred Heart at Laguna Blanca, 3 p.m.

High school girls water polo – CIF playoffs, second round.

High school boys basketball – CIF playoffs, second round.

College men’s volleyball – Irvine Valley at SBCC, 7 p.m.

Saturday, February 20

Surfing – Rincon Classic.

College track and field – Gaucho Roundup at UCSB, 11 a.m.

College women’s basketball – Cal State Fullerton at UCSB, Thunderdome, 2 p.m.; Cuesta at SBCC, 5 p.m.; Point Loma Nazarene at Westmont, 5:30 p.m.

College men’s basketball – Cuesta at SBCC, 7 p.m.; Point Loma Nazarene at Westmont, 7:30 p.m. UCSB at Fresno State, 7:30 p.m.

High school girls basketball – CIF playoffs, second round.

Sunday, February 21

Surfing – Rincon Classic.

Monday, February 22

Santa Barbara Athletic Round Table press luncheon, Harry’s Plaza Café, 12 p.m.

Tuesday, February 23

College baseball – Westmont at UCSB, 2 p.m.; Irvine Valley at SBCC, Pershing Park, 2 p.m.

College women’s basketball – Fresno Pacific at Westmont, 5:30 p.m.

College men’s basketball – Fresno Pacific at Westmont, 7:30 p.m.

Men’s soccer – UCSB vs. Mexico U-20 National Team (exhibition), Harder Stadium, 7:30 p.m.

Wednesday, February 24

College men’s basketball – Cal State Northridge at UCSB, Thunderdome, 7 p.m.

College women’s basketball – UCSB at Cal State Northridge, 7 p.m.

Thursday, February 25

College softball – Gaucho Classic: Drexel at UCSB, 9 a.m.; North Dakota State at UCSB, 11:30 a.m.

Friday, February 26

College softball – Gaucho Classic: Wisconsin at UCSB, 8:30 a.m.

Saturday, February 27

College women’s tennis – UC Davis at UCSB, 10 a.m.

College men’s tennis – UC Davis at UCSB, 1 p.m.

College softball – Gaucho Classic: North Dakota State at UCSB, 1 p.m.; Wisconsin at UCSB, 3:15 p.m.

College women’s basketball – Cal Poly at UCSB, Thunderdome, 2 p.m.; Westmont at Vanguard, 5:30 p.m.

College men’s basketball – UCSB at Cal Poly, 7 p.m.; Westmont at Vanguard, 7:30 p.m.

Sunday, February 28

College softball – Gaucho Classic: Memphis at UCSB, 11:30 a.m.

College men’s tennis – Pacific at UCSB, 1 p.m.