TOP SPORTING EVENTS: NOVEMBER 23-30

Gaucho basketball is on the Thanksgiving menu as an appetizer and a dessert this week. UCSB’s women seek their third consecutive victory at the Thunderdome tonight (Wed., Nov. 23) when they host the Washington Huskies. On Saturday night, the undefeated Gaucho men will face a San Diego State team that has been their nemesis for the past decade.

Washington’s women will be playing their first road game under new head coach Tim McGuff, formerly the coach at Xavier. The Huskies are 2-1, including a 72-53 victory over a Seattle University team that defeated UCSB in the debut of head coach Carlene Mitchell. The Gaucho women are 2-2 after a solid 66-49 victory over Loyola Marymount in their last outing.

Stellar play by the tandem of Orlando Johnson and James Nunnally has propelled UCSB’s men to a 4-0 start. Johnson scored 26 points and Nunnally 22 on Tuesday night in a come-from-behind 83-69 victory over Portland. Fellow senior Jaime Serna scored 15. The Gauchos avenged a defeat they suffered at Portland last year. They have a lot of avenging to do against San Diego State. The Aztecs (5-1) have beaten UCSB seven consecutive times, including a 90-64 thrashing in San Diego last year. The last time the Gauchos defeated Steve Fisher’s Aztecs was in 2000, and they had to go triple overtime to succeed by an 80-77 score.

UCSB also has a score to settle with Creighton in men’s soccer. The Bluejays came into Harder Stadium last season and blanked the Gauchos, 1-0. This time, they are meeting Sunday in the third round of the NCAA men’s soccer tournament at Creighton’s stadium in Omaha, Nebraska. The Bluejays (19-2) are the No. 2 seed in the tournament, thanks to another stingy defense. They have registered eight straight shutouts and have outscored all their opponents, 37-4. UCSB (15-6-1) has a scoring differential of 50-31. Creighton advanced by defeating Northern Illinois 3-0 last Sunday, while the 15th-seeded Gauchos held off Providence, 3-2.

SBCC is one victory away from the Final Four in the State Community College men’s soccer playoffs. The Vaqueros (17-1-4), undefeated in their last 15 games, knocked off Rio Hondo 3-0 Tuesday in the Southern California Regional semifinals. They will host Golden West in the final on Saturday night at La Playa Stadium.

Wednesday, November 23

College women’s basketball — Washington at UCSB, 7 p.m.

Friday, November 25

High school football — CIF playoffs, second round: Bishop Diego at 29 Palms, 7:30 p.m.

Saturday, November 26

College men’s basketball — San Diego State at UCSB, 7 p.m.

College men’s soccer — Southern California Community College Regional final: Golden West at SBCC, 7 p.m.

Sunday, November 27

College men’s soccer — NCAA tournament, third round: UCSB at Creighton, 10 a.m. PST.

College women’s basketball — UCSB at Northern Colorado, 2 p.m.

Monday, November 28

Santa Barbara Athletic Round Table press luncheon, Harry’s Plaza Café, noon.

Tuesday, November 29

College women’s soccer — NAIA Championships, second round: Westmont vs. Point Loma Nazarene at Decatur, Alabama, 2 p.m.

College women’s basketball — Azusa Pacific at Westmont, 5:30 p.m.

College men’s basketball — Azusa Pacific at Westmont, 7:30 p.m.

Wednesday, November 30

College men’s basketball — UNLV at UCSB, 7 p.m.

RUNNING, WALKING, CYCLING

Thursday, November 24 — Thanksgiving 4 Miler, Magnolia Shopping Center, 9 a.m. runsantabarbara.com.

Saturday, November 26 — Red Rock 50-Mile Trail Run, Rancho Oso Guest Ranch, 6 a.m. allwedoisrun.com.

Saturday, December 10 — Santa Claus 5K and Mile, East Beach Parking Lot, 9 a.m. sbactionpro.com.

Saturday, January 1 — Resolution Day 10K/5K Run, Leadbetter Beach, 8 a.m. active.com.

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