UC Irvine plays UCSB on 4-game win streak

UC Irvine Anteaters (16-7, 9-2 Big West) at UCSB Gauchos (15-8, 8-4 Big West)

Santa Barbara, California; Saturday, 10 p.m. EST

BOTTOM LINE: UC Irvine looks to keep its four-game win streak intact when the Anteaters take on UCSB.

The Gauchos have gone 9-2 at home. UCSB ranks seventh in the Big West with 23.1 defensive rebounds per game led by Zion Sensley averaging 5.4.

The Anteaters are 9-2 against conference opponents. UC Irvine is the Big West leader with 27.8 defensive rebounds per game led by Kyle Evans averaging 5.9.

UCSB makes 48.2% of its shots from the field this season, which is 10.9 percentage points higher than UC Irvine has allowed to its opponents (37.3%). UC Irvine averages 5.4 made 3-pointers per game this season, 1.8 fewer made shots on average than the 7.2 per game UCSB allows.

The Gauchos and Anteaters match up Saturday for the first time in conference play this season.

Jurian Dixon is shooting 39.1% from beyond the arc with 2.0 made 3-pointers per game for the Anteaters, while averaging 15.4 points. Evans is shooting 58.4% and averaging 13.3 points over the last 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Gauchos: 6-4, averaging 78.8 points, 30.8 rebounds, 15.8 assists, 6.6 steals and 2.0 blocks per game while shooting 49.3% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 73.3 points per game.

Anteaters: 8-2, averaging 77.4 points, 37.1 rebounds, 14.4 assists, 7.9 steals and 6.0 blocks per game while shooting 46.3% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 68.0 points.

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