Week in Sports
The college basketball season tips off at UCSB’s Thunderdome tonight (Wed., Nov. 4) when the Gaucho women take on Westmont College in an exhibition game at 7 p.m.
UCSB is favored to win its third consecutive Big West championship, according to a preseason media poll, despite losing four starters from last year’s team. Tonight’s game will feature the debut of 6’4″ junior center Mekia Valentine, a transfer from Wake Forest. Senior forward Jordan Franey, who leads the returning Gauchos in scoring and rebounding, was voted to the preseason all-conference team.
Westmont is a nationally ranked team in the NAIA’s Golden State Athletic Conference. The Warriors compete well in exhibitions against NCAA Division I teams. Last week, they lost to Pepperdine, 72-61. Westmont features a pair of four-year starters in the backcourt Amber Stevens of Goleta and Jessica Case.
UCSB men’s basketball gets started in an exhibition game at 3 p.m. Saturday against Sonoma State.
Meanwhile, college soccer is getting down to crunch time. The Gaucho men have clinched the top seed in next week’s Big West tournament. They close the regular season with matches tonight at Cal Poly and Saturday night at Harder Stadium against UC Davis. Westmont’s men play at Concordia today in a GSAC tournament game.
UCSB’s women travel to Cal State Northridge for a Big West semifinal on Thursday. Top-seeded Azusa Pacific ended the Westmont women’s season with a 1-0 win in the GSAC tournament on Tuesday.
TOP SPORTING EVENTS: NOVEMBER 4-15
Wednesday, November 4
High school girls volleyball Malibu at Carpinteria, 6 p.m.
College women’s basketball Westmont at UCSB (exhibition), Thunderdome, 7 p.m.
College men’s soccer UCSB at Cal Poly, 7 p.m. GSAC tournament: Westmont at Concordia, 2 p.m.
Thursday, November 5
College women’s soccer Big West semifinals: UCSB at Cal State Northridge, 1 p.m.
High school tennis Channel League finals, Knowlwood Tennis Club, 2 p.m.
High school cross country Channel league Meet, Ventura Camino Real Park, 2:30 p.m.
High school girls volleyball Malibu at Bishop Diego, 6 p.m.; Oak Park at Carpinteria, 6 p.m.
Friday, November 6
High school tennis Channel League doubles finals, Santa Barbara High.
High school football Ventura at Dos Pueblos, 7 p.m.; Santa Barbara at St. Bonaventure, 7 p.m.; San Marcos at Buena, 7 p.m. (Eight man) Laguna Blanca at Dunn, 4 p.m.
College men’s basketball Westmont at Pepperdine (exhibition), 7 p.m.
College women’s soccer Oxnard at SBCC, La Playa Stadium, 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, November 7
Running Santa Barbara News-Press Half Marathon and 5K, Leadbetter Beach, 8 a.m. Sign-up information.
College men’s water polo California at UCSB, 12 p.m.
College men’s basketball Sonoma State at UCSB (exhibition), Thunderdome, 3 p.m.
College women’s basketball Westmont at Cal State Northridge (exhibition), 4 p.m.
College men’s soccer UC Davis at UCSB, Harder Stadium, 7 p.m.
College women’s volleyball UCSB at Cal Poly, 7 p.m.; Biola at Westmont, 7 p.m.
College football SBCC at L.A. Valley, 7 p.m.
High school football Carpinteria at Bishop Diego, La Playa Stadium, 7:30 p.m. (Eight man) Thacher at Cate, 2 p.m.
Sunday, November 8
College men’s water polo Pacific at UCSB, 12 p.m.
College women’s soccer Big West Championship: UCSB at Cal Poly, 1 p.m.
Monday, November 9
Santa Barbara Athletic Round Table press luncheon, Harry’s Plaza Cafe, 12 p.m.
Tuesday, November 10
College women’s soccer Cuesta at SBCC, La Playa Stadium, 7 p.m.
College women’s volleyball Moorpark at SBCC, 7 p.m.
Wednesday, November 11
College men’s soccer Big West semifinals.
Friday, November 13
College men’s and women’s swimming Cal State Northridge and UC San Diego at UCSB, 12 p.m.
College women’s soccer Ventura at SBCC, La Playa Stadium, 5 p.m.
College women’s basketball Fresno State at UCSB, Thunderdome, 7 p.m.
College men’s soccer Hancock at SBCC, La Playa Stadium, 7 p.m.
High school football Santa Barbara at San Marcos, 7 p.m.; Dos Pueblos at St. Bonaventure, 7 p.m.; Santa Clara at Carpinteria, 7:30 p.m.; Bishop Diego at Oak Park, 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, November 14
College men’s water polo UC Irvine at UCSB, 12 p.m.
College football East L.A. at SBCC, La Playa Stadium, 6 p.m.
College men’s basketball Cal State Los Angeles at UCSB, Thunderdome, 7 p.m.
College men’s soccer Big West Championship.
Sunday, November 15
College men’s water polo UCSB at UCLA, 1 p.m.
UPCOMING EVENTS
Saturday, November 21 UCSB Recreational Sports Turkey Trot, 10K run, 5K run/walk, UCSB lagoon lawn, 9:30 a.m. Sign-up information.
Thursday, November 26 Run Santa Barbara Thanksgiving Four-Miler, Magnolia Center, 9 a.m. Sign-up information.
Sunday, December 6 Santa Barbara International Marathon, Ellwood School to Leadbetter Beach, 6:30 a.m. Sign-up information.
