By KRISTEN KELLER
UCSB SPORTS
It was a quick turnaround from Saturday night’s overtime game to Monday night’s non-conference contest, but the UCSB men’s basketball team (7-2) hit the hardwood again as the Gauchos welcomed the San Diego Christian Hawks to The Thunderdome.
These two teams played each other three different times, with the Gauchos taking the win from this NAIA program in each meeting.
Monday night was no different for the Gauchos as they put their record to 4-0 against the Hawks, securing an 81-68 win to put them at 7-2 on the season.
The Gauchos had control of the game from the moment they stepped on the court. The first nine points all belonged to UCSB as they set the tone for the rest of the game. By the time they hit the end of the first half, the Gauchos were up 48-22 over the Hawks.
Miles Norris and Calvin Wishart were the main forces on offense, securing 10 points apiece. Along with that, Wishart added on four steals and three assists. As a team, the Gauchos registered a 72% clip, going 21 of 29 from the field.
Once the second half started, the Gauchos kept the pressure on their opponent. Despite the number of points put on the board, UCSB kept the pressure on their opponents, keeping them from making a comeback in this contest.
Norris ended Monday’s game on top for the Gauchos, securing 15 points in just 14 minutes on the court against the Hawks. He also shot an impressive 70 percent from the field.
Following up behind him was Cole Anderson. The sophomore had a strong performance in the second half to give him 11 points on the night. With that, he shot 50% from the field while going three-for-five from beyond the arc.
Wishart was a tremendous asset in the 14 minutes he played. He secured 10 points in this contest while adding a team-high four steals to go with three assists.
Koat Keat Tong came into his own, crashing the boards to earn a team-high five rebounds. He also managed to add on a block and an assist.
In the 11 minutes Ajay Mitchell played Monday evening, he made an impact on offense. He distributed the ball well to confuse the Hawks’ defense, giving him a team-high five assists.
The Gauchos will make the trip up the coast as they head to Portland to take on Portland State University. Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. on Saturday.
For those who cannot make it to Viking Pavilion, they can watch at home on ESPN+ or follow along with the live stats. Links for the live stream and stats can be found at ucsbgauchos.com.
Kristen Keller is the associate athletic director for communications and digital strategy at UCSB.
sports@newspress.com