UCSB basketball schedule heavy on Pac-12 opponents

Senior Michael Bryson, an All-Big West first teamer who averaged 13.9 points and 4.8 rebounds per game last season, is one of UCSB’s key returners.

The 2015-16 UC Santa Barbara men’s basketball team will face a challenging schedule that features five games against Pac 12 opponents, including two at home, head coach Bob Williams announced Thursday.

The Gauchos will host Oregon State on Nov. 21 and USC on Dec. 3. The Beavers will be the first Pac 12 opponent to play in the Thunderdome since Dec. 6, 2013 when Cal made an appearance. The last time OSU played in Santa Barbara was during Gary Payton’s sophomore season in 1987-88. For USC, the last time they played at the Thunderdome was on Dec. 3, 2002. 2015-16 will also mark the first time ever that UCSB has hosted two members of the Pac 12 in the same season.

“The opportunity to play two home games against teams from one of the premiere conferences in the nation is huge,” Williams said. “Oregon State should be really good this year and USC will be very much improved, so it will be great for our fans.”

The Gauchos’ first game against a Pac 12 opponent will come on a season opening road trip that will begin at Nebraska-Omaha on Nov. 13 and finish at Cal on Nov. 16. Following a Nov. 23 home contest against Fresno Pacific and the Thanksgiving holiday, UCSB will travel to Arizona State for a Nov. 29 game against the Sun Devils before returning home to open December against USC.

The Dec. 3 matchup with the Trojans will be the team’s only home appearance of the month. They will make a lengthy road trip immediately after finals when they travel to South Dakota State (Dec. 13) and Vermont (Dec. 16). The Gauchos’ final pre-Christmas games will be played at the South Point Holiday Hoops Classic in Las Vegas on Dec. 22-23. In addition to UCSB, Tulane, Akron and Iona will be in the tournament.

“The tournament in Las Vegas is important to us because it gives us two neutral site games against outstanding mid-major programs,” Williams said.

After Christmas, the Gauchos head to the Pacific Northwest for a pair of games in Seattle. On Dec. 28 they take on Washington, their fifth and final Pac 12 opponent, and on Dec. 30 they will play Seattle University. The first game of the New Year will be the team’s final non-conference home game as they play Point Loma on Jan. 2

The Big West Conference schedule will get underway on Sat., Jan. 9 as UCSB will defrost from its trip to Seattle by opening league play at Hawai’i. The game against the Rainbow Warriors will be followed by three consecutive contests against top rivals Cal Poly (Jan. 14 at San Luis Obispo), UC Irvine (Jan. 16 at the Thunderdome) and Long Beach State (Jan. 20 at the Thunderdome).

The 2015-16 regular season will end on Mar. 5 as the Gauchos host Cal Poly.

“I think that our non-conference schedule is set-up to prepare us for the Big West season,” Williams said. “As a program our philosophy is to play tough preseason opponents because it’s the best way to get ready for league.”

UCSB returns several of its top players from a team that went 19-14 overall and 12-4 in the Big West in 2014-15. Senior Michael Bryson, an All-Big West first teamer who averaged 13.9 points and 4.8 rebounds per game while also leading the team with 68 three-point baskets. Senior forward John Green, an Honorable Mention All-Big West choice, averaged 11.3 points and 4.1 rebounds per game while shooting 36.8% from three-point range. Sophomore guard Gabe Vincent was the Big West Freshman of the Year after averaging 10.1 points per game and leading the team in three-point shooting at 41.6%.