San Diego State defeats UCSB 68-51

The UCSB Men's basketball team lost to the SDSU Aztecs 68-51 at Cox Arena in San Diego. Chris Devine led the Gauchos with 18 points, while Jesse Byrd had 6 rebounds. Freshman center Greg Somogyi had a team-high 5 blocks despite playing only 15 minutes. Lorenzo Wade, Ryan Amoroso, and Kyle Spain led the Aztecs with 17, 13, and 11 points, respectively. SDSU also won the battle of the boards, 31 to 25.

Box Score

UCSB loses to Weber State on the road 70-63

The UCSB Men's basketball team couldn't complete their comeback attempt and lost to Weber State 70-63 in a road game in Ogden, Utah. Chris Devine led the Gauchos with 17 points, while Jesse Byrd corralled a game-high 14 rebounds. Steve Panos led the Wildcats with 21 points.

Box Score

UCSB Breezes past LMU 81-61

The UCSB Men's basketball team won going away over LMU 81-61 in a home game at the Thunderdome. Senior forward Chris Devine, back after missing one game due to a sprained ankle, paced the Gauchos with 15 points while junior guard James Powell added 14 points. Junior forward Jesse Byrd again led the Gauchos on the boards with 9 rebounds. DJ Posley and Paul Roemer led the pass-happy Gauchos with 5 assists each. The Gauchos, now 5-4, have now won four of their last five games.

Box Score

UCSB Rebounds with Road Win against Utah Valley

The UCSB Men's basketball team closed out a 5-game road trip with a solid win over Utah Valley 62-57. With injured forward Chris Devine out of the lineup, Jesse Byrd picked up the slack with a double-double 13 points and 12 rebounds. Freshman guard Will Brew, Jr. had a break out game by adding 11 points in his first-ever start.

Box Score

UCSB loses to Illinois State 87-59

The UCSB Men's basketball team fell to the Illinois State 87-59 in the championship game of the World Vision Invitational, hosted by ISU in Normal, IL. Both teams entered the game sporting 2-0 records in the round-robin tournament. Champ Oguchi and tournament MVP Osiris Eldridge led a balanced Redbird attack with 18 points each. ISU torched UCSB's defense, shooting 62.5% from the field, 50% from 3-points. Jesse Byrd led the Gauchos with 17 points and 8 rebounds, followed by Chris Devine with 9 points, all in the first half, before injuring his ankle. Devine was held out the entire second half.

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UCSB grinds out a win against Nicholls State

The UCSB Men's basketball team defeated Nicholls State 57-38 in a defensive struggle in the second round of the World Vision Invitational, hosted by Illinois State in Normal, IL. The Gauchos held Nicholls State to 30.8% shooting from the floor, 25% from 3-point land. James Powell led the Gauchos with 12 points, while Chris Devine pulled down 9 rebounds. DJ Posley, playing in front of family and friends from nearby Hazelcrest, IL, chipped in 9 points.

Box score

UCSB defeats Winston-Salem 71-58

The UCSB Men's Basketball team defeated Winston-Salem 71-58 in the World Vision Invitational, hosted by Illinois State University in Normal, IL. Chris Devine had a double-double and led the Gauchos with 12 points and 10 rebounds. Paul Roemer chipped in 11 points.

Box Score

Gauchos blow a late lead in loss to the Dons 73-72

The University of San Francisco Dons overcame a late 11-point lead to win 73-72 over the UCSB Gauchos in a non-conference squeaker in San Francisco. Chris Devine led the Gauchos with 24 points and 8 rebounds, while James Powell added 22 points, 17 in the first half. But 6 late turnovers by the Gauchos enabled USF to go on a 15-0 run, taking a lead they never relinquished. Dior Lowhorn led USF with 17 points, and made a couple key 3-point shots late in the game to ice it for the 4-1 Dons. UCSB is now 1-3.

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Tarheels take down the Gauchos 84-67

The University of North Carolina Tarheels proved they were worthy of their number 1 ranking by pulling away from the UCSB Gauchos in the second half and winning by a score of 84-67. James Nunnally led the Gauchos with 22 points and 7 rebounds. Ty Lawson led 6 Tarheels in double figure scoring with 19 points, leading the potent UNC fast break on numerous occasions. Last year's college player of the year Tyler Hansbrough finished with 13 points and 7 rebounds.

The Gauchos had the Thunderdome rocking when they briefly held a 27-22 lead, as Somogyi dunked over Hansbrough and Paul Roemer hit two straight 3-point jumpers. The Tarheels closed with a flurry to end the half, leading 45-37 and never looked back in the second half.

Box Score

UNC Tarheels Invade the Thunderdome Friday

The University of North Carolina Tarheels men's basketball team visits the Thunderdome this Friday at 7 pm to take on the Gauchos. UNC, a Final Four team last season, is the consensus No. 1 team in the country. They return their top 7 scorers from last season, and feature Tyler Hansbrough, the 2008 NCAA Player of the Year. However, Hansbrough is one of several injured players who may sit out the game. Other injured Tarheels include Marcus Ginyard, Tyler Zeller, and Mike Copeland. UNC is 2-0 this season, while UCSB is 1-1 after a close loss to Utah State Monday.

The game is sold out, although an 100 extra student tickets will be released on Friday. The game will be televised nationally on ESPNU.

Gauchos Lose a Heartbreaker to USU

Despite a furious second-half rally, the UCSB men's basketball team fell just short to Utah State 61-59 in the Thunderdome Monday. Chris Devine and James Powell led the Gauchos with 14 points apiece, while Jesse Byrd led the Gauchos with 5 rebounds and adding 8 points. Freshman Will Brew, Jr. led with 5 assists, while adding 3 steals and 2 points.

Box score

Up next are the consensus number 1-ranked North Carolina Tarheels in a 7 pm match up in the Thunderdome Friday, Nov. 21. The game is sold out, so get there early.

UCSB defeats CSULA in home opener

The UCSB Men's basketball team defeated CSULA in the regular season opener for both teams before 1562 fans in the Thunderdome. Senior 6'8" forward Chris Devine led the Gauchos with 17 points and 11 rebounds, willing his teammates to a victory with a late scoring surge in the second half. Junior 6'2" junior guard James Powell contributed 16 points and 7 rebounds, while true freshman 6'7" forward Jaime Serna also had 7 rebounds despite playing only 21 minutes.

Box Score

Up next are games against former Big West rival Utah State Nov. 17 and Number 1-ranked North Carolina on Nov. 21, both in the Thunderdome, starting at 7 pm.

Gauchos Sign Chris Brew and Lucas Devenny

The UCSB Men's Basketball team officially signed Chris Brew and Lucas Devenny to National Letters of Intent. Both players will enroll at UCSB in 2009.

Chris Brew, younger brother of current UCSB freshman Will Brew, Jr., is the most decorated recruit of the Coach Bob Williams era. According to one scouting service, he was the 83rd highest-ranked high school recruit in the nation. In addition to other west coast universities, Pac 10 schools Washington and USC offered him scholarships, even after his verbal commitment to UCSB. Brew is a 6'4" slashing, athletic wing who is also a tenacious on-ball defender.

Fellow AAU Oakland Soldiers teammate Lucas Devenny was also recruited by Cal and St. Mary's, among other schools. His 6'9", 240 lb. frame enables him to be a strong rebounder and disruptive defender in the low post. Devenny also has a solid mid-range game on offense.

Both players are expected to contribute immediately as freshmen, on the heels of a solid 2008 recruiting class of Will Brew, Jr., Jaime Serna, James Nunnally, and Greg Somogyi.

UCSB inks Brew and Devenny

Gauchos Launch Season with a Win over CSUDH

The UCSB Men's Basketball team started their season off with a bang by defeating CSU-Dominguez Hills with a 70-52 victory in an exhibition game at the Thunderdome last night. Junior James Powell led the Gauchos with 20 points, 5 rebounds, and 4 steals. In fact, the key to the victory was the Gauchos' 17 steals, many of them in the first few minutes of the game when they built up a 17-2 lead. Senior Captain Chris Devine added 14 points and 3 steals in a game marred by first-game jitters and many turnovers. Backcourt starters Paul Roemer and DJ Posley had solid all-around games, disrupting the CSUDH offense, hitting key outside jumpers, and dishing to open teammates. Jesse Byrd was strong under the basket, and made a handful of free throws.

The bench received valuable minutes as Coach Bob Williams tried to develop team depth. Sam Phippen is more aggressive on both ends of the court this year, Jordan Weiner hit a couple 3-pointers, and Nick Quick joined the scoring parade with a one-handed runner in the lane.

Perhaps the most encouraging aspect was the play of the 3 true freshmen. Jaime Serna, the first post player off the bench, displayed an unusually composed and mature game, defending the post, rebounding, and going to the basket hard. James Nunnally displayed a knack for the open court, and hit a big 3 pointer in the second half, as well as lobbing a pass into the interior to his fellow freshmen teammate, 7'2" Greg Somogyi. Somogyi promptly finished off the assist with a huge dunk, igniting the Gaucho bench and the crowd in the Thunderdome. Somogyi showed surprising agility and athleticism for a big man, blocking and altering many shots on defense, and running the floor well. He also made a nice reverse tip-in on his own miss. Between Somogyi, Serna, Nunnally, and Will Brew, Jr. (who missed the game due to injury), the future looks very bright for the Gauchos.

Box Score

The Gauchos open their regular season this Friday, November 14 against CSULA, in the Thunderdome at 7 pm.

UCSB Receives votes in Mid-Major Top 25 Poll

The UCSB Gauchos men's basketball team received 23 points in the Mid-Major Top 25 poll, good for 48th this preseason. UCSB Assistant Coach Brad Holland is on the voting committee. Even tho the Gauchos return a strong supporting cast due to graduation losses and injuries, the Gauchos will rely on their talented, but inexperienced newcomers to make an impact immediately. This perhaps explains why the Gauchos are ranked below customary rankings, but expect the freshmen to mature quickly and help the program slowly climb in the rankings as the season progresses. Here is a link to the poll (see sidebar for other major polls):
http://www.collegeinsider.com/mmpoll/

Ivan Elliott hits the game-winner in Latvia

Former Gaucho Ivan Elliott had 17 points and 10 rebounds for Valmiera in a Latvian league victory 67-66. Ivan also hit the game-winning shot. Here's a link to the video highlights (slow feed):
Ivan Elliot hits game winner for Valmiera in Latvia

UCSB Men's Basketball 2008-2009 Preview

Here is the official UCSB preview for the men's basketball 2008-2009 season:

UCSB Men's Basketball 2008-2009 Preview

UCSB Inaugural Basketball Media Preview Luncheon Nov. 6

According to the UCSB Athletics Department:

UC Santa Barbara will host its inaugural Basketball Media Preview Luncheon on Nov. 6, 2008 from 11:00 am to 2:00 pm at the Cabrillo Arts Pavilion on the beach in Santa Barbara. The event will be open to the public as well as the media, and food will be available.

"We are very excited about beginning a new era in women's basketball at UCSB, but really, we are excited about both programs," said Athletics Director Mark Massari. "This will be a great opportunity for us to make the teams accessible to the public, as well as the media, giving everyone a chance to see why we are so excited."

The players and coaches will take part in a meet-and-greet with the public and media, as well as a traditional press conference.

For the complete press release:

UCSB Inaugural Basketball Media Preview Luncheon Nov. 6

UCSB Men's Basketball picked 2nd in Big West preseason polls

The Gauchos men's basketball team was picked 2nd in the Big West preseason polls by both the coaches and the media. Senior Forward Chris Devine was picked on the preseason all-Big West Conference team for the 2008-2009 season. Here's the press release:

2008-2009 Preseason Big West Men's Basketball Polls

UNC/UCSB tickets on sale

According to the UCSB Department of Athletics:

The UC Santa Barbara men's basketball team will play one of its most highly anticipated home schedules ever, and as the season approaches, the UCSB Department of Athletics is excited to unveil the Cinco Pack. The Cinco Pack is a five-game ticket package that includes admission to the Gauchos' Nov. 21 match-up with 2008 NCAA Final Four participant and likely preseason No. 1 North Carolina, as well as tickets to four other home games of your choice. The Cinco Pack will be available for walk-up and telephone purchase at 1:00 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 16, and for online purchase on Oct. 22.

For just $75, the Cinco Pack offers UCSB fans the opportunity to create a customized five-game ticket plan that guarantees admission to the UNC game. Cinco Pack tickets will be located in the end court section and will have a reserved seat only for the game against the Tar Heels. The tickets for the other four selected games will also be end court, but will be general admission.

Cinco Packs will be available beginning Thursday, Oct. 16 at 1:00 p.m. via walk-up at the Athletics Ticket Office in the Intercollegiate Athletics Building on campus, or by calling the Ticket Office at 805-893-UCSB and selecting option 2. Online sales at UCSBgauchos.com will begin on Oct. 22 at 9:00 a.m.

Former Gaucho Cecil Brown

Former Gaucho Cecil Brown is killing it in France, playing for Brest! He scored 33 points in 30 minutes in their home opener. Here are the Youtube highlights:

Lucas Devenny verbals to UCSB

According to NorCalPreps.com, 6-foot-9 Lucas Devenny has ended his recruitment with a verbal announcement that he will attend a Big West Conference school at the conclusion of his senior year at Piner High in Santa Rosa. The senior forward throws in his lot with an already solid Gauchos contingent from the region. Here's an article with his verbal announcement: Lucas Devenny verbals

UCSB in at #138 on collegehoops.net

Joel Welser of collegehoops.net has UCSB ranked at 138 nationwide for the 2008-09 college basketball season. With 3 returning starters returning in forward Chris Devine and guards Justin Joyner and James Powell, Joel believes UCSB will again compete for a Big West title. Add DJ Posley, a projected starter who received significant minutes last season, and USF transfer forward Jesse Byrd to round out the starting lineup, and the Gauchos will have a legitimate chance at repeating as co-champions during the Big West regular season.

With the graduation of UCSB's all-time leading scorer Alex Harris, Ivan Elliott and Nedim Pajevic, UCSB's incoming freshmen should compete for playing time. Incoming freshmen James Nunnally, Jaime Serna, Will Brew, Jr., and 7'3" Greg Somogyi comprise the most decorated class under Coach Bob Williams' tenure. Returnees Paul Roemer, Sam Phippen, Jordan Wiener, Nick Quick, Peter Jordan, and 6'10" redshirt freshman Spencer Ford will once again provide quality depth.

For a complete analysis: go to collegehoops.net

UCSB Recruit Chris Brew Stays Put

Chris Brew, a UCSB '09 verbal commit, has decided not to transfer to Berkeley High, and will remain enrolled at St. Mary's in Berkeley. Chris cited loyalty to his teammates as the main driver for his decision to stay put: Chris Brew staying put.

Brew, one of the top Class of 09 players in the country, has reaffirmed his desire to play with his older brother Will Brew, Jr., a UCSB Class of '08 freshman recruit.

Look for Chris to have an explosive senior year at St. Mary's, as he and his teammates target another run at the California Div. IV State Basketball Championship. St. Mary's lost in the title game last season, garnering second place: CIF 2008 State Tournament

Get your UNC game tickets now!

As reported earlier, the University of North Carolina Tarheels are coming to town for a date with the Gauchos Nov. 21. UNC is expected to be the consensus #1 team in the country, as they return everyone from last year's Final Four team, including 2008 National Player of the Year Tyler Hansbrough. Secure your ticket to this game by purchasing season tickets, and get the opportunity to purchase another ticket for the game, while receiving discounts and Gaucho Bucks in the process. This game is expected to sell out quickly, so don't wait. Here is the official press release on how to order tickets:

http://ucsbgauchos.cstv.com/sports/m-baskbl/spec-rel/081408aab.html

The Thunderdome will be rockin'! Be there!

Massari hired as new UCSB AD

UC Santa Barbara announced its new Director of Athletics on Monday, naming Mark Massari, formerly of Oregon State, to succeed Gary Cunningham.

Massari has been at Oregon State since 2002, most recently serving as the Senior Associate Athletic Director for External Affairs, directing all revenue-generating, external marketing and communications activities. Cunningham has served as the Athletics Director since 1995 and announced in January that he would be stepping down from the position.

Here's the official press release:

http://ucsbgauchos.cstv.com/genrel/081808aaa.html

This is a great hire, and good luck Mark.

Cecil Brown headed to France

After impressive performances in the D League, former Gaucho Cecil Brown received several offers to play overseas. He's playing in France for Etendard de Brest in the French Pro B league. Look for him to take his game to another level. Good luck, Cecil.

North Carolina Tarheels coming to town...

In case you hadn't noticed, the consensus preseason #1 team in the country is coming to the Thunderdome. Mark Nov. 21, 2008 on your calendars, as that's when the UNC Tarheels and our Gauchos will be rockin' the Dome. Details on ticket sales to come soon.

Here's the complete schedule: UCSB Men's Basketball Schedule

Ivan Elliott will play in Latvia

I just got word that Ivan Elliott will be playing in Latvia, for the club Valmiera. Ivan was always a matchup problem for opponents, as he could play down low, as well as having perimeter skills, including shooting the 3 with remarkable consistency. We wish him continued success in Europe. Keep us updated, Ivan.

For details of Ivan's career at UCSB: Ivan Elliott

Downtown Cecil Brown

Former Gaucho sharpshooter Cecil Brown, UCSB '07, is tearing it up in the NBA Development League. He had a great game playing on the D League All-star team against the Atlanta Hawks summer roster squad. Look for him on NBA TV.

For more on Cecil's career as a Gaucho: Cecil Brown

Alex Harris in the pros...

Well, it looks like Al Harris, UCSB '08 and the Gauchos all-time leading scorer, is headed to play pro basketball in Poland, with his new team Turow. It looks like he will be one of their featured scorers, as he was at UCSB. Good luck, Al, and keep us updated on your achievements. He certainly has represented UCSB well.

For more on Al's career at UCSB: Alex Harris

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