The UC Santa Barbara basketball team still remains faithful to a New Year’s resolution of success.
The Gauchos have won eight in a row, all in January, and are seeking to extend that streak against Hawaii on Friday and Saturday in SimpliFi Arena at Stan Sheriff Center.
“We’ve had a week off,” UCSB coach Joe Pasternack said, referencing the last weekend’s cancellation of a two-game series against Long Beach State. “I think any time you take these two weeks off, you really don’t know what to expect from your team. I thought up until the month of January, we did well. All that’s over, and now we’re focused on the month of February here.”
The Gauchos are hopeful the warranty does not expire on efficiency. The Gauchos have averaged 10.7 turnovers per game while forcing 14.9. They are fourth nationally in assist-to-turnover ratio at 1.69 and 11th in turnover margin at 4.3 per game.
“That’s (nearly) five possessions more per game,” UH coach Eran Ganot said.
The Gauchos’ leadership begins in the backcourt. “We play a two-point guard system,” Pasternack said.
Devearl Ramsey and JaQuori “J-Roc” McLaughlin are seniors having breakout seasons. Ramsey, who is 6 feet, is the national leader in assist-to-turnover ratio at 5.27. He has turned over the ball 11 times in 15 games, an average of 0.73 per contest.
McClaughlin, who is 6-4, is 18th nationally with a 3.22 assist-to-turnover ratio.
“JaQuori McLaughlin has done an excellent job for us this year, the entire year,” Pasternack said. “He’s really manned the guard spot for us. … Devearl Ramsey has been, I think, a huge part of our success.”
Amadou Sow, a 6-9 post, averages 8.43 rebounds per game while converting on 51.3% of his shots.
The Gauchos’ sharing-is-caring approach (18 assists per game, ninth nationally) has fueled a prolific offense. The Gauchos are the Big West’s scoring leader (80.3 points per game), as well as maintaining the top spot in scoring margin (plus-17.2).
“Every night, it’s been somebody different,” Pasternack said. “It’s really been a team effort. I think our guards have really impacted us.”
The Gauchos are scheduled to leave today, departing out of Los Angeles International Airport. Because the Gauchos prefer to take the red-eye return flight to California on Saturday night, the second game of the series will tip-off at 5 p.m. Friday’s game starts at 7 p.m.
Of the back-to-back games imposed by the Big West this season, Pasternack conceded, “it’s tough. It’s not easy. It’s really exhausting, to be honest with you, to play back-to-back games. We just do the best we can. We’re first only focused on the first game, and then we try to muster whatever energy we have for the second one.”
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Big West men’s basketball
At SimpliFi Arena
UC Santa Barbara (12-3, 6-2 BWC) vs. Hawaii (7-5, 5-5)
>> When: Friday, 7 p.m.; Saturday, 5 p.m.
>> TV: Spectrum Sports
>> Radio: 1420-AM / 92.7-FM
